The Heart's Diamond
by Xx Meisha xX
Summary: AU Full summary inside: The city's prized gem and an officer have vanished. Can expert detective Athrun now teamed up with the less experienced Cagalli solve both mysteries before it's too late? What else will unfold?
1. Shocking News

**Full Summary: **

The city's most prized possession, the Green Diamond, has mysteriously vanished. The situation becomes more frantic when a member of the police has been declared missing as well. Athrun Zala is called upon to solve the mystery of his missing partner and the robbery of the valuable gem. Assigned to work with his partner's younger sister, he finds his hands full. As the mystery unfolds, the two find more challenges to overcome—some unrelated to the task at hand. Will Cagalli and Athrun be able to set aside their differences and solve the building mysteries?

* * *

**Archerygurl:**

Hello my dear readers! How glad I am to see that you're interested to see what this story is all about. I hope I do my part and keep you entertained and guessing. ;)  
This story is sure to be full of mystery and suspense.  
There will also be humor and romance every now and then since it IS centered around Athrun and Cagalli (themostsuperawesomecoupleever)  
Keep me updated as to what you think and what you'd like to see.  
Your voice is important to me and, heck, I'm easily influenced...

Disclaimer- I do not own Gundam Seed or anything of the sort. Just the idea for this story. Though I was inspired after watching a show called "48 hours" or something along those lines.

Enjoy!

* * *

**A Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 1**

**Shocking News**

**

* * *

  
**

The morning rays shone through the window causing the blonde to stir slightly. She buried her face within her arms before realizing she wasn't lying in her comfy bed. Her eyes flickered open as she looked around the room. Though it hadn't been her intention, she seemed to have fallen asleep in the dining room. Standing abruptly, she made her way to a bedroom. The door was ajar so she let herself in without knocking. To her surprise, the bed was neatly made and a note lay at its head. She lifted up the piece of paper and unfolded it. She grimaced at the nickname, but recognized it as her brother's handwriting.

_Hey Cags, _

_I came in pretty late last night; you were already asleep so I decided not to wake you. Seems things didn't work out as I had planned, but I think I have a lead. What I have so far has led me to Heliopolis. I'll be back by Wednesday. There's no need to worry about the details. I'll be in touch with you soon._

_-- Kira_

Cagalli smiled. It was just like her brother to worry about _her_ when he was the one out on a dangerous mission. She folded the note back up and placed it in the drawer. There really was no reason to worry. It wasn't the first time he had gone out on his own. On many occasions he would search for his own clues, and most times he would be successful. He was known as 'The Ace', the one who could solve any mystery.

A gentle breeze entered the bedroom through the window. Apparently Kira had kept it open the night before. She shook her head, remembering the times he had lectured her about keeping the windows open while the air conditioning was running. After closing the window, the girl went about her regular morning routine and soon found herself brewing a cup of coffee when the phone rang.

"Hibiki residence, this is Cagalli," the blonde said as she sat at the table and glanced at the newspaper.

"Official as always," the mocking voice came.

"Ah, hey Miriallia," Cagalli said as she read the heading. "What's up?"

"Not much, just pretty bored. And since you're off duty today I figured we could hang out, maybe see a movie or go to the mall?" the brunette suggested in her hopeful voice.

"Sure, just give me an hour and I'll be ready. Can you give me a ride? I think Kira took the car," she asked as she peeked out the window to confirm that the vehicle had been taken.

"Yeah, no problem. See you then."

After hanging up Cagalli skimmed the article that had first caught her attention. It read '_Orb's Precious Emerald Still Not Found_'—the very case Kira was currently working to solve. The article stated that the gem had been stolen two days before, in broad daylight. The Orb museum had been hosting its annual exhibition. As such, people from all over the world were touring. Encircled by tourists and security officers, Orb's most prized possession was a sight to behold. Yet it was snatched in less than thirty seconds. Suddenly, in the middle of the crowd's excitement, the lights had shut down. A moment later, the emergency lights had lit up the rooms, but the jewel was nowhere to be seen.

Cagalli, along with other detectives, had been called in to witness the video taken by the security cameras. Even after viewing the tape hundreds of times, the group was unable to retrieve any clues. It simply vanished within seconds; some even began to believe the rumor that it was an act of magic. Still, the case was not to be dropped. Instead, it was assigned to Cagalli's brunette brother and his partner, Athrun Zala. Though Cagalli had longed to be selected for such a mystery, she knew and accepted that it was too sensitive a case for her. She was glad enough that her brother would share any information he received and valued her thoughts as though they were his own.

Setting aside the newspaper, Cagalli decided that it was time to let her own brain relax. She headed for the bathroom to take a nice, long, warm shower before spending the day with Miriallia. After drying her hair and putting on a pair of jeans and a fitted, black tank top, Cagalli was ready for the day ahead. She waited patiently for her friend to arrive. After the bell rang, she opened the door revealing a cheery, blue eyed girl.

* * *

"So, how's Kira doing?" Miriallia asked as the two entered the mall.

"He's good, just working on the Green Diamond case," Cagalli replied as she entered the mall.

"Hah, he's probably stressed that nothing's been found out yet," the auburn haired girl teased.

"Actually, I think he's on to something," the blonde replied, causing Miri to glance at her with a surprised expression.

"That's awesome, but hey, let's go to the jewelry store," she said pointing in the direction of the extravagant store.

"Why…? We'll never be able to afford that stuff," Cagalli said crinkling her nose.

"Oh come on, it's just window shopping. Besides, look who's there!" she said as she nudged her head in the direction of two red headed girls. Cagalli nodded and the two walked over to the store. Before making it over they ran into someone unexpected.

"Lacus!" Cagalli said, gaining the pink haired girl's attention. She glanced over at the two girls and smiled before approaching them with a huge bag.

"Shopping, I see," Miriallia joked.

"It's actually business related," Lacus said assuring. When her friends didn't look convinced she continued. "I came in earlier after speaking to the security office. It seems their security cameras have some differences with the ones in the museum. If we can find any significant changes and apply them to our tapes we may be able to obtain essential clues," she finished. Cagalli shook her head and Miri was standing with her mouth agape. "Is there something wrong?"

"Of course you're working diligently on your day off," Cagalli said laughing.

"I don't understand how you guys do it. It's too much for my little brain to handle," Miri said, tapping her head.

"Oh, it's not too difficult. My father always tells me anything can be done so long as you put in the right about of time and planning. Also…" Lacus said, slightly blushing. "I would like to provide as much help as I can to Kira."

Cagalli grinned and nodded. She knew the close bond that had developed between Lacus and her brother after they had both joined the police force. It annoyed her at first, but she grew quite fond of the pink haired detective. The two had even solved a couple of mysteries together. The blonde offered to help Lacus investigate the tapes later and the pink princess beamed in response. By this time one of the two red headed girls had noticed the group of three and waved, motioning for them to enter the store as well.

"Hey Meyrin, whatcha guys up to?" Miri asked as they approached the siblings.

"Onee-chan's dreaming about owning half this store," the girl in pig tails replied as she rolled her eyes.

The older sibling shot Meyrin a glare causing the other girls to giggle. It was true that everything in this store was unreasonably priced.

"It is true though, Luna," Cagalli said, bringing her back to reality. "The only way we could afford any of these pieces is if we all chipped in."

"Just those," Luna said pointing to a pair of diamond earrings. "How much are those?" she asked the clerk.

"This pair sells for $1,500, ma'am," the clerk replied. "Would you like to try them on?"

Luna nodded, her eyes glazed by the sheer beauty of the earrings. Meyrin simply sighed. After trying them on, the girls couldn't help but admire the way it shone in under the right light.

"Maybe when you've retired you'll have enough," Cagalli said patting the magenta haired girl on the shoulder.

"I'd do anything to have them," Luna said, sighing deeply. Meyrin rolled her eyes again and Lacus simply smiled.

"Anything?" Miri asked, grinning.

Luna nodded, her eyes showing a hollow emptiness.

"Miri, stop it," Cagalli scolded, playfully smacking the auburn haired girl on the arm. "I think it's time we leave," she added, gaining nods from the others.

"There's a nice nail salon on the other side of the mall," Meyrin said, hoping the news would bring the girl out of her trance.

"Yes, we can get manicures," Lacus added. She smiled when Lunamaria finally gave in and the five headed over to the salon.

* * *

"Cagalli, have you heard anything about the Green Diamond mystery?" Luna asked as she glanced over to where the blonde was sitting.

"Not much really. Kira's still looking into it," she responded, looking up from the sports magazine she was reading.

Cagalli wasn't much of a sports fan, but it beat reading the girly, fashion oriented magazines. While the others were ecstatic to have their nails done, especially since Lacus had offered to pay, Cagalli decided to sit in the waiting area.

"I'm sure it won't take long," Luna assured as she looked at her freshly done nails. "Since Athrun is on the case it'll probably be solved in no time," she added as she blew on the tips.

Cagalli shrugged her shoulders before turning her attention back to the magazine in her hands. Though she flipped through the pages, her mind was elsewhere. _Athrun Zala_. She had heard that his skills matched those of her brother—and as a team they were unstoppable, but she had never witnessed his skills with her own eyes. She couldn't help but be curious to see how he would approach the case. Lacus' soft voice brought Cagalli back from her thoughts.

"With Kira and Athrun working as a team, I'm sure the mystery will be solved fairly quickly," Lacus said, gaining a nod from Miriallia.

"Is Athrun really that great a detective?" Cagalli asked.

She hadn't realized that her question would result in some disbelieving looks.

"Are you serious?" Luna asked, unsure if she had heard the blonde correctly. "He's like… the most amazing detective.

Cagalli frowned. She had hoped for proof, not some fangirl's perspective. It was obvious that Luna had fallen for his looks. Cagalli herself couldn't help but admire the boy's attractive looks and charm. However, she had long convinced herself that deep down he was some egotistical, shallow individual did what he did to attract girls from all over. She refused to fall for someone of his stature. Lacus saw Cagalli's disappointed look and smiled.

"Together they really are an incredible duo. Not only are they both intelligent, they have an uncanny understanding of one another. Before you joined the police force, there was one case that the two were working on that involved the mystery of a serial killer," she began, gaining the attention of all the girls. "I'm not sure of the details, but Athrun had gotten himself captured on purpose. Somehow, he was able to alert Kira of the details and in no time the criminal was arrested. Their method was a mystery itself," she finished, shaking her head.

"Mr. Zala is incredibly brave," Meyrin said in a dreamy voice.

"Putting himself on the line like that…" Luna said as her voice drifted off.

"They really are something. I sure wouldn't want to mess with them," Miri said as her nails were finished up.

Cagalli nodded. She had heard a similar story to the one Lacus had shared, but she still wondered. Although the boys had a close bond, she didn't understand why Kira would go off on his own to find clues at times. Perhaps both needed their alone time. It perplexed her, but she decided not to worry about it. A couple minutes later everyone was satisfied with their polished nails and it was time to leave the mall. Luna's shift was beginning in a half hour so Miri offered to drive Meyrin home. Lacus, therefore, was to take Cagalli home. Neither minded. They now had time to investigate the information on the mall security cameras.

* * *

"Are you sure Kira won't mind that I'm here so late?" Lacus asked as she sat on the couch in the family room.

"Actually, Kira's not here at the moment, but there's no way he'd mind. Especially since it is _you_ we're talking about," Cagalli said as she placed the tape into the VCR.

The pink haired girl's cheeks slightly matched her hair and Cagalli couldn't help but giggle. It was too easy to embarrass Lacus. The two sat and watched the tapes for an hour or so with no significant changes popping up at them.

"If anything, the cameras in the museum have better footage than the ones in the mall," Cagalli said in an obvious tone.

Lacus nodded in response, but the two continued to replay the clips of the jewels disappearance. Another half hour passed before the phone rang. Cagalli sprang up to answer it.

"Hibiki residence… yes, this is Cagalli," she replied as she listened to the caller. Before she could say another word her eyes widened and she felt the strength in her hand drain as the phone fell to the floor. She repeated the words she had just heard in her head, as though it were not possible. The three words she never expected, or wanted, to hear.

_"Kira is missing." _

_

* * *

_

**Archerygurl:**

;0

Did you know it was going to be Kira?!  
What's a poor girl to do? Go out and save her brother of course! But not before getting her act together and consulting others.  
Expect our favorite blue haired coordinator in the next chapter!  
Until next time, ciao!

...

OH, wait wait wait!  
I have good news and bad news.

**Good News:** My birthday's on the 20th of August- 3 days from now! I can't wait!  
Nah, it's ok... you don't have to get me a present. ;)  
Oh, butttttt, you could be kind enough to click that "submit review" button at the bottom of the page. I would be eternally grateful. 3

**Bad News:** Education  
Yeah, classes are starting up next week. I've got crazy amounts of packing to do. I'm also visiting some friends before we're separated and I'm locked away in my dorm room.  
Why this may concern you: I'm not going to be with my beloved computer for a while. ='(

Still, I do promise to update! So please keep your eyes open for that next chapter!


	2. Facts

**Archerygurl:**

I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews (and the birthday wishes, so sweet). Also, I'm so grateful that people have added this story to their list of favorites and alerts. Please read and comment on your thoughts and opinions. I love hearing from all of you!

_Dedicated to: Usako Hoshino, moi_, _& cagallifangurl_

Enjoy!

* * *

  
**Recap:**

_"Hibiki residence… yes, this is Cagalli," she replied as she listened to the caller. Before she could say another word her eyes widened and she felt the strength in her hand drain as the phone fell to the floor. She repeated the words she had just heard in her head, as though it were not possible. The three words she never expected, or wanted, to hear._

_"Kira is missing."  
_

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 2**

**The Facts  
**

**

* * *

**

Cagalli refused to believe what she had just heard. She felt her legs give in as she fell to the floor, beside the phone. The voice was still speaking, but the words were blurred. It wasn't until she felt a hand shaking her shoulder that she realized everything that happened within the last moments had actually happened.

"Cagalli! Cagalli!" Lacus called, snapping her friend out of her trance.

When she had finally gotten her act together Lacus helped her to sit on the couch. Instead of questioning the troubled girl, Lacus went over and picked up the phone.

"Hello, this is Lacus Clyne speaking," she said in her cool, professional voice. "Y-yes, I understand. We'll be right there," she said after listening to the current situation. "Cagalli, they want us both down at the station," she said as calmly as she could.

Cagalli nodded slowly, still not believing what was unfolding before her. Lacus grabbed her keys and Cagalli's hand before leading her down to the driveway. The drive to the station was unsettlingly quiet, but neither dared to break silence.

* * *

The sight of the station seemed to revitalize Cagalli's spirits as she burst through the door with Lacus following closely behind. It was late—past midnight, and as such the offices were abandoned. She saw a light from the conference room and turned to look at Lacus. They nodded to each other before entering through the heavy, double doors.

Eyes turned to see the two girls enter. Cagalli ignored the stares and looked around. It seemed that only a select few had been called in. At the head of the table sat the chief, Mr. Durandal with his eyes closed. Next to him stood the famous Athrun Zala, who neglected to make eye contact with them. Sitting around the conference table were three others. Luna, who the girls had seen earlier in the day, attempted to smile at the two. Lacus nodded, but Cagalli remained in her stoic position. The silence was broken by the man sitting next to the lavender haired girl.

"Took ya look enough," he scoffed, a grin plastered on his face.

"Shinn!" Luna hissed, causing the boy to shrug his shoulders.

Cagalli glared at the boy. He was known to make such mocking remarks, but she was in no mood to put up with him. As though the chief had read her exact thoughts, he cleared his throat.

"I'm glad that the two of you were able to make it here so promptly," he said as he opened his eyes.

"It was no problem at all," Lacus replied, calmly. "Please, Mr. Durandal, we would like to know the updates as to—"

"Where's Kira?" Cagalli blurted out.

Her sudden remark seemed to startle the chief and Athrun turned to give her an uneasy look.

"Missing," Shinn said nonchalantly. "Weren't you listening when you got the call?"

"Shinn, stop it!" Luna warned.

"What? She's the one coming in here and asking stupid—" he was hushed by the blond boy sitting next to him. He grumbled and resumed leaning back in his chair with his arms resting behind his head.

"Sir, if I may?" the pink haired girl asked. When she received a nod from the chief she continued. "The search for the Green Diamond has only recently begun. Surely stating that Kira has gone missing in such a short amount of time is assuming too much."

"The tracking device he carries around with him is no longer functional," Athrun replied, switching his gaze from the chief to the girl. "I highly doubt that he would ever be careless enough to simply lose it. It must have been removed and dismantled," he added.

"When did this occur?" Lacus asked, slightly surprised.

"Two days earlier. Monday afternoon. I thought that it may have been a malfunction with the device itself, but when I hadn't heard from him I began to assume the worst. My fears were confirmed when I was unable to contact him through… other methods," he said, regrettably.

"I spoke with him around that time as well," Cagalli interrupted, recalling her conversation with her brother. "He told me that he would be continuing his investigation for a couple of days and would be in touch. He said it would be better if I waited for his call and that he would try to be home by Wednesday. He arrived back at our house late last night, but… I had fallen asleep by then," she said slowly, earning a snort from Shinn. She paid no attention to him and carried on with her story. "He left a note saying that he was on to something and would be in touch with me later, though," she finished.

Durandal seemed to be contemplating the new information as he rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb. She waited for his response, but received one from Athrun instead.

"That still doesn't explain the tracking device," he said, confused by the new input.

"I wasn't trying to explain that," Cagalli responded, agitated by his response. He opened his mouth to retort, but Durandal had finished gathering his thoughts.

"Do you still have the note?" he asked, looking Cagalli in the eyes.

"Yes, I kept it in a drawer… back in the house," she said, remembering that she had forgotten to bring it along when she first heard the news.

"That's the perfect place for it!" Shinn remarked, full of sarcasm. This time four pairs of eyes turned to glare at the boy. He laughed nervously, before commenting on Cagalli's forgetfulness again. "Seriously, what _were_ you thinking? That's some pretty valuable information there."

"I really wasn't thinking," she admitted, looking at the floor. "Just hearing that Kira could be in danger overwhelmed me and I couldn't think straight. Thankfully Lacus was with me, or who knows what would have happened," she sighed.

Lacus turned to place a hand on her friend's shoulder and smiled comfortingly at her. Athrun was surprised by her response. He had known Cagalli was hot-headed, so her calm, honest reaction was uncalled for. She cared deeply for her brother. There was a smile tugging at his lips, but he pushed it away as Durandal stood up.

"All right, Athrun," he said gaining the midnight blue haired boy's attention. "Return to the house with Cagalli and retrieve the note. Also, take note of any other substantial clues. I'd like the rest of you to remain here with me," he instructed.

Athrun nodded and Cagalli looked between the two before she followed him out the door.

* * *

The ride to her home was anything but pleasant. It began as an awkward silence between the two. Neither had spoken to each other for more than five minutes in the past, and even then it was always business related. A casual conversation during the fifteen minute drive was almost out of the question.

"So…" he started, gaining her attention. "You're Kira's sister."

"Yep," she answered.

…

'_Well, that was stupid,'_ she thought. If she didn't start something up now, she figured the search around the house would be ten times more uncomfortable.

"You have a really nice car," she said leaning her head back against the seat.

Nice was an understatement. She had to restrain herself from gawking at it when she learned it was his. She felt as though she were violating it by sitting inside. It was one of those cars solely meant for admiring.

"Thanks," was his simple reply.

"I wish I could drive something like this. Actually, scratch that, I wish Kira would just _let_ me drive," she said pouting.

"He doesn't let you drive?" Athrun asked, slightly surprised. He hadn't thought of Kira as the dominating type.

"Yeah, ever since that squirrel ran in front of me…" she said casually, as though it were an everyday normal occurrence.

"You ran over a squirrel?!" he demanded more than asked.

The car slightly swerved, but he easily recovered and continued on the road, waiting for a response. Cagalli was shocked at his reaction to her story, but quickly responded.

"It was his fault!" she defended. Soon after, she registered what she had said. Athrun had as well.

" Kira's or the squirrel?" He asked, slightly amused by her attempted cover up.

"Both, really," she said, closing her eyes and remembering the incident. "I had just gotten my license a couple months before and we were going to the park. The squirrel zoomed in front of the car and Kira yelled for me to move. But where was I supposed to go? I hit the brakes, but not soon enough. And the irresponsible squirrel ran to the left and then the right and back to the left, but didn't get off the road!" she yelled, as though she were still angry at it.

Athrun laughed causing Cagalli to open her eyes and stare at him in confusion. Apparently she hadn't thought she said anything strange. The story itself was funny, but her unique word choice made it even more entertaining.

"The world would be a much better place without those 'irresponsible' squirrels," he said chuckling.

"It really would!" she retorted, angry that he found her story so humorous. It had been a life changing experience for her. Her first murder, in a sense. Not that she planned on murdering more living creatures in the future. She shook her head of those thoughts before realizing that they had pulled into her drive way.

* * *

"This is stupid," Shinn muttered as Luna handed him a pile of papers.

"Nothing we can do about it. Chief's orders," she reasoned. "Though I have to admit, it is rather disappointing that we're left here while the others are out solving the crime."

"I don't see why I was called in for this case," he mumbled as he placed the pile on Durandal's desk.

"You're never going to be called in again if you can't even handle a bunch of papers," she scolded as she picked up a resignation form he had dropped.

"Keeping this stuff on record is pointless too."

She rolled her eyes. Shinn complained about everything.

* * *

"So when did you find the note?" Athrun asked as he rummaged through some files in the study room.

"After I woke up, it was around nine. I went to Kira's room and saw it sitting on his bed," she recalled.

"Was there anything else odd about the room?" Athrun asked as Cagalli opened the door to her brother's room.

"Now that you mention it, the window was wide open this morning. It's very unlike Kira."

"He gives me a hard time about having the window open when the AC's on in the office building," Athrun said chuckling.

"Me too!" Cagalli blurted, as though she were surprised that her brother would dare to give another individual a hard time.

When he asked to see the note she fished through the drawer where she had placed it. She handed it to him and he examined it for a couple of seconds before confirming that, in fact, it was his handwriting.

"I could have told you that." Cagalli said as she snatched the letter away and rolled her eyes. Over the years she had learned to mimic his handwriting, as he did hers. It particularly came in handy when one sibling lost a bet and had to do the other's homework—namely Kira being blackmailed into writing Cagalli's English essays.

He saw that she was lost in her thoughts and decided to let her daydream for a while. He continued his search around the room. The number of books on the shelves astounded Athrun. He knew Kira liked to spend his time wisely, but reading and absorbing information from all of these seemed utterly impossible. One book caught the attention of his emerald eyes and he attempted to pull it off the shelf. What he didn't expect was what slowly drifted to the floor. He held it up and flipped it over before turning around and showing it to Cagalli.

"That's odd. He never had cards in his room," the girl said furrowing her brow at the single card Athrun held between his fingers.

_An Ace of Spade  
_

_

* * *

  
_**Archerygurl:**

Points to anyone who sees a relationship between the card and Kira's disappearance... ;)

Sorry that there wasn't a lot of A/C moments... but next chapter will definitely have more!

This chapter ended up being shorter than I had originally thought, but I hope it was still worth the read.  
I look forward to reading any and all reviews!


	3. Connection

**Archerygurl:**

Hey hey! Hope everyone is doing well.  
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. I enjoyed reading every single one of them.  
Please continue to leave me comments on what you think or would like to see.  
Enjoy!

_Dedicated to: cagsxathrun & Mage666_

_

* * *

_

**Recap:**

_He saw that she was lost in her thoughts and decided to let her daydream for a while. He continued his search around the room. The number of books on the shelves astounded Athrun. He knew Kira liked to spend his time wisely, but reading and absorbing information from all of these seemed utterly impossible. One book caught the attention of his emerald eyes and he attempted to pull it off the shelf. What he didn't expect was what slowly drifted to the floor. He held it up and flipped it over before turning around and showing it to Cagalli._

_"That's odd. He never had cards in his room," the girl said furrowing her brow at the single card Athrun held between his fingers._

_An Ace of Spade  
_

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 3**

**Connection  
**

**

* * *

**

The drive back to the police station was silent. Both were deep in thought. It bothered Cagalli that the clues they had found seemed to have nothing to do with each other.

If Kira had come home last night he would have entered through the door. So why was the window open? Had he climbed out the window? Why in the world would he do that? And then there was the random card that floated down from the shelf. Ever since they were kids Cagalli had been a fan of card games—poker, BS, and any other game that involved chance. Kira was the exact opposite. He thought it was 'immoral' to wager things in a game. But there it was, an ace of spade sitting right on his shelf. She and Athrun searched for another hour, but there were no signs of any other playing cards. She ruffled her hair in frustration.

Athrun glanced at her and reached over and pet her on the head.

"What's that for? Can't you see I'm expressing my frustration," she remarked, moving her head away from him and ruffling her hair once again.

"You've been quiet for too long. I'm afraid the stress is going to cause your brain to implode," he replied, hiding his smirk when he saw her blush slightly.

"I'm not some amateur!" she argued. "I know how to handle situations like this."

"Relax, it's frustrating for me too. Right now we have a lot of fragmented pieces. Hopefully we'll be able to make more sense of it once we show it to the others," he said reassuringly.

She nodded and they fell silent for the remainder of the trip.

**

* * *

**

By this time it was two in the morning, but the station was filled with commotion when the two entered. As if on cue, Lunamaria had popped up in front of them.

"You won't believe what we found at the museum," she said as she tugged on Athrun's sleeve. "We're still not sure what it means though."

Athrun glanced at Cagalli a moment before he was pulled in by the energetic girl. She shrugged before following him into the meeting room and joining with the others.

"Welcome back," Lacus greeted. "Please, come around the table," she added, motioning them to come in closer.

Luna, by this time, had linked arms with Athrun and dragged him to the large table with pictures scattered all over. Cagalli couldn't explain what she was feeling, but the sight of them together irked her. She pushed it aside and went to stand by Lacus.

"These were taken when Lacus and I went to investigate the museum for additional clues," the young man standing next to Shinn said as he pointed to the photos. "As you can see there is no significant difference, although security has been tightened after the incident."

He handed a single picture to Athrun and asked him to look at it closely. Cagalli walked over to Athrun and he held the picture lower so she could examine it with him. She didn't see anything of importance and looked up to meet an equally confused glance from Athrun. Sensing their confusion Lacus intervened.

"It appears to simply show the glass case which was holding the diamond, but after placing it under UV radiation…" she said as she handed the special flashlight to Cagalli. She flipped the switch and placed it over the picture to reveal an apparent figure. Cagalli gasped at what lay before her and saw that her expression was again mirrored by Athrun.

"An Ace of clovers," the blond said as the photo was returned to him.

"But Rey, this has nothing to do with anything," Luna said as she finally released Athrun's arm. For some reason, Cagalli felt a wave of relief pass by her.

"Actually, there may be a connection," Athrun said, cutting off Rey's coming statement. Everyone turned to look at him. "When Cagalli and I were inspecting the house we came across an ace of spade."

Lacus and Luna's eyes widened, but Rey and Shinn held their calm gazes. Cagalli reached in her bag for the card to confirm Athrun's story.

"Is this a way for the thief to leave us clues?" Luna asked as she stared at the card in Cagalli's hand.

"It's his way of messing with us is what it is," Shinn said with a grunt.

"In the least it's telling us that the missing Green Diamond and the disappearance of Kira are related," Athrun said.

"So we've gotten two aces to start us off. But it really doesn't give us a lead. What happens if we find the other two aces, but no Kira or gem…" Luna asked, her voice growing dimmer by the second.

"Game over."

"Shinn!" Luna scolded, realizing that though his words were cruel, they were probably true.

Cagalli couldn't help but shudder at the thought. She saw that Lacus had a grim look on her face as well. She wasn't sure she had ever seen the cheery girl with such a serious look.

"This is just an assumption, but it seems we only have assumptions to go off of," Rey began, gaining the attention of his colleagues. "The ace we saw in the museum wasn't an authentic card. Therefore, there is a possibility that it was just a simple way of warning us about the current situation. We may still have three chances to solve this mystery."

"So you're saying that the ace of clovers isn't something to be worried about. We'll probably find the actual, real card after more investigation," Luna said, repeating his logic so she could organize her thoughts.

"Exactly."

"Without any other leads there isn't much we can do," Lacus replied uneasily.

"Kira left us a lead," Athrun said as Lacus tilted her head and gave him an unsure look. "He had written it in the note he left." She nodded at his clarification, but still seemed unsure.

"He said that the clues he had obtained so far had lead him to Heliopolis." Shinn seemed to flinch at the name of the town, but Cagalli hadn't noticed.

"Heliopolis?" Luna repeated. Cagalli nodded. "That city's only an hour away from us. It won't take long to go there and look around."

"That's correct, Lunamaria." The voice had startled the team. Thinking they had been the only six in the room they were surprised to see the chief walk in. "However, I would like you to rest. You may begin the investigation in Heliopolis tomorrow morning."

"But sir!" Cagalli burst out. "Wouldn't it be better to send a team over tonight. The sooner we get clues the better," she reasoned.

"Cagalli, I understand your concern, but it's almost three in the morning. The town is sure to be deserted. It will be more efficient to begin tomorrow, after everyone is refreshed."

She didn't want to take no for an answer, and her eyes showed it.

"It's not like _you'd_ be able to find anything anyway," Shinn retorted, leaning back in his chair. "And even if you did, you'd probably forget where you put it," he added with a slight, teasing grin.

Luna hushed him, but he ignored her and kept his gaze locked with Cagalli's. Athrun was irritated with Shinn's tone and was about to remark, but Cagalli had gracefully moved in front of him and began walking slowly over to the boy. She stopped when she was in front of him and leaned her face down until it was on level with his. Athrun and Lacus switched uneasy looks before they heard the blonde open her mouth. Her amber eyes were locked with his bloodshot ones.

"I've had… enough," she said calmly as she held his gaze. She slowly raised her head until she towered over Shinn. Athrun raised an eyebrow. Was that all she was going to say? He had expected her to blow up in his face. She turned around slowly and was about to walk back over to Lacus, when a snicker stopped her in her tracks. Before he had a chance to make a single comment, Cagalli spun around and faced him with her deadly eyes. She gently, but swiftly, tapped the leg of the chair with her foot and Shinn, along with his chair, went crashing down into the ground.

Shinn jumped up angrily, but found no words to throw at the girl standing a foot in front of him. Lacus covered her face with both her hands. She saw the fall coming, but chose not to stop her friend. Luna just rolled her eyes and said Shinn deserved it. Rey kept his cool pose and Athrun _laughed_. The harmless chuckle startled the two confronting each other. In an attempt to stop further mayhem from occurring, the chief spoke up.

"Alright, the investigation will begin tomorrow morning. You will meet at the train station at 10:00 tomorrow morning. Any questions?" he looked directly at Cagalli, making sure that he had made himself clear. When no one objected he bid them goodnight and retired to his room, which was conveniently located on the floor above the station.

* * *

Cagalli had asked Lacus to bring her home. The ride was silent, but Lacus could tell that the blonde was fuming. She had wanted so badly to go to Heliopolis.

"Cagalli…" she started. Cagalli didn't turn to face her, but she knew she was listening. "I understand how worried you are about Kira…"

"Then why!" she burst out. "Why are you so willing to go along with the chief's order? If we want to help Kira we have to move now," she yelled, startling the girl next to her.

"Yes, I understand your point, but you must look at it from his perspective." Cagalli was about to argue, but Lacus continued. "And from Kira's as well."

Cagalli closed her mouth. Kira's perspective? What did she mean by that? Reading her thoughts, Lacus explained.

"Our priority now is to rescue Kira, but we won't be able to do that if we are too weak. All our efforts will be for vain if any harm comes to—" she couldn't finish the thought and switched to a different direction. "And if any harm comes to us simply because of our own careless or impulsive actions, Kira would never forgive us. Especially if something were to happen to you. So please, Cagalli, promise me you will try and get a good night rest for tomorrow's mission."

Cagalli nodded and sat silent for the rest of the trip, pondering what Lacus had shared. They had arrived at the house minutes later. Lacus wished Cagalli a good night as she opened the door. Before shutting the door behind her Cagalli smiled at Lacus.

"Lacus, thank you. And… Kira would never forgive himself if anything happened to you either," she said before she shut the door.

The girl was taken aback by Cagalli's words, but managed to smile as she waved from the window. After the blonde was inside the house she pulled out of the driveway and made her way back to her own house.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Lacus," Cagalli mumbled as she saw the lights of the car disappear.

She headed for her room and began packing her bag. Cagalli was determined to find some clues in Heliopolis as soon as possible. Her only method of travel at the moment was the train. '_Stupid Kira has to get kidnapped with his car.' _She thought in frustration. Luckily, the train station wasn't far away. About a fifteen minute walk.

Once she was done packing she headed out the door to the train station. To her surprise it looked completely deserted, but she wasn't about to give up. She went to the ticket counter and saw that no one was there. The calling bell caught her attention. She rang it twice and waited. When she didn't get a response she rang it continuously for about ten seconds.

"Wh-what?! I'm here," the frustrated individual yelled as he made his disheveled appearance.

"I'd like to buy a ticket to Heliopolis," Cagalli said, completely ignoring his state.

"Ticket? The next train doesn't leave until eleven tomorrow morning," he said, scratching his purple hair as he made his way around the counter to look at her. "The station closes at midnight."

It was her turn to be shocked. She hadn't thought about that possibility before she began her journey.

"Oh," was all she could say. "Well, thanks," she said before turning around.

His hand had caught her wrist. She turned to give him a questioning look.

"It's late," he said, grinning. Cagalli's expression didn't change. Of course it was late. "It's not safe for a young, pretty girl like yourself to be walking around alone at night. Why don't you stay here? We can keep each other company," he added slyly.

"Um, no." She tried to free herself from his grasp, but his grip was too strong. She really didn't want this to turn into a violent scene, but it seemed her choices were limited.

"There you are," came a voice from the doorway. He immediately released his hold on Cagalli as they both turned to see who had shown up.

"Athrun?" Cagalli asked.

He nodded before approaching the two. When they made eye contact he gave her a disappointed look and she couldn't help but look away. He then turned to look at the man standing beside them and gave him an icy glare.

"We're leaving," Athrun said as he kept his gaze fixed with the man's. Cagalli nodded, still keeping her head down. Athrun grabbed her hand and led her out of the station to where his car was parked.

* * *

"Can you at least think before you do things from now on?" Athrun scolded as he turned the engine of his car on.

"You didn't have to show up! I could have handled it myself," she retorted, avoiding his gaze.

"Of course, and tomorrow morning we would have seen it in the newspaper. 'Officer Assaults Civilian due to Miscommunication about Travel Times'" he said sarcastically.

"I'm not the one assaulting people!" she argued, angry that he was blaming her… even though it kind of _was_ her fault.

"We made it clear that the mission was to begin tomorrow," he said, reiterating the order given. Cagalli frowned and pursed her lips. She didn't like being lectured. He was amused by her reaction, but kept his serious posture.

"Thanks for the ride," she said as she got out the car. She was surprised when he got out as well. "I'm not inviting you in for tea," she said sarcastically.

"I'm fine, thanks for offering," he replied, in an equally sarcastic fashion. "But I'm staying with you this time."

"W-what? I don't need a babysitter!" she spat, annoyed at his suggestion. He shrugged and walked over to the front door, waiting for her to follow and open the door. "I'm serious." Before she had a chance to say anything else he had grabbed the keys from right out of her hand.

"Ladies first," he said as he motioned for her to go in. She growled at him, but went inside none the less. "Now go to bed," he instructed.

"This is ridiculous," she said rolling her eyes, but she still obeyed and walked up the stairs. "Do you have to watch me change too?" she asked caustically, looking over her shoulder at him.

He hadn't expected her to say that and a look of dismay crossed his face. He shook his head as she let out a quick laugh and slammed her bedroom door. He was thankful and lucky she hadn't turned around completely, or she would have seen the blush that crept onto his cheeks.

"There, happy?" she asked as she opened the door revealing her in pajamas. He smiled at her new appearance. "What's so funny?!" she demanded.

"Fuzzy penguins suit you," was his reply. She blushed as she brushed aside his comment and went back into her room. He followed her.

"So, now what? Are you going to be a creeper and watch me sleep?" she asked, half jokingly, half serious.

"Yep."

"Athrun!" she yelled, surprised by his calm reply.

He laughed at her shocked expression. "I kid, I kid. But do be sure to actually go to sleep this time," he said as he walked over to the door.

"Um," she started, making him pause in his steps. "You can… stay for a while… only if you want, that is," she said hurriedly.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he faced the door. He turned around and saw that Cagalli was avoiding his gaze and tapping her foot anxiously. He decided against teasing her and simply said that he would give her company for a while. Her eyes lit up and she began rambling away. The two shared stories about their childhood. About how Athrun first met Kira, how Cagalli failed to get her license the first time, how Athrun hated chocolate, how Cagalli failed to get her license the second time, how Athrun liked fishing, and what they planned to do in the future. It wasn't until Cagalli rubbed her eyes for the first time that Athrun looked at the alarm clock by her bed. It was 4:30 in the morning. He insisted that she go to sleep.

"But I want to hear the rest of your story!" she nagged.

"Fine, I'll finish telling you, but only if you go under the covers."

She agreed and he helped her get tucked in. He continued his story, until she stopped responding. He knelt down to see that she had fallen fast asleep. She looked peaceful and so non-aggressive when she slept. He smiled when she mumbled something and shifted in her sleep. He felt bad for reprimanding her earlier and wanted to apologize. He leaned over her again, until his forehead rested on hers. He closed his eyes.

"Kira…" she mumbled ever so softly.

He stood up, smiled, and gently ruffled her hair before leaving the room.

* * *

**Archerygurl:  
**

So... Kira's kidnapper and the Jewel thief are apparently the same person. Who would have known? =P  
Hopefully Heliopolis will give us some more helpful clues.

Please, please review =)

Side note- I've added an 'Update' section to my profile.  
Just so you can keep up with me [and yell at me when I randomly abandon a story for no apparent reason].  
;)


	4. Emotional Clash

**Archerygurl:**

I've changed my name!  
'Meisha' it is. Hope that doesn't confuse people too much.  
Once again, I'd like to thank all of my readers and reviewers.

Sorry for the long wait!  
Enjoy chapter 4!

_I'd like to dedicate this to Brownsugarcandy.  
Her reviews and comments always make me smile/laughoutloud (causing people to give me strange stares)  
xD  
'Learn about Athrun in plant bio? Of course...'_

* * *

**Recap:**

_He knelt down to see that she had fallen fast asleep. She looked peaceful and so non-aggressive when she slept. He smiled when she mumbled something and shifted in her sleep. He felt bad for reprimanding her earlier and wanted to apologize. He leaned over her again, until his forehead rested on hers. He closed his eyes._

_"Kira…" she mumbled ever so softly._

_He stood up, smiled, and gently ruffled her hair before leaving the room._

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 4**

**Emotional Clash**

**

* * *

**

The alarm went off, but she was quick to silence it. She hit the snooze button and knocked it off the dresser. Five minutes later, it began ringing again, but this time she couldn't reach the snooze button. Frustrated, yet content that her plan had worked, she forced herself out of bed to stop the annoying sound. She looked around her room as her eyes adjusted to the light. Had last night happened or was it just a dream? No, it must have happened. How else would she currently know his life story? She hurried to get ready and begin the mission.

She finished up her muffin as the phone rang. She leapt over the couch to answer it and found a distressed Lacus. Apparently another clue had been found and they had been called in to investigate before going to Heliopolis. The frantic girl said she'd pick up Cagalli in the next ten minutes. Cagalli wondered what new clue had surfaced. She hoped it would helpful for the coming day.

* * *

"What the hell does this mean?" Cagalli asked in annoyance with the current situation.

When she and Lacus had arrived in the office the atmosphere was filled with confusion and frustration. Somehow a lovely 'Ace of Clovers' had found its way onto the chief's desk.

"Well at least we know that radiated ace didn't count as a clue," Luna said in a somewhat relieved tone.

"Yes, but it doesn't help. We assumed it to be true, but now that it's confirmed we only have two more cards until it's over," Rey said, bringing in the truth of matter.

Cagalli flinched at his tone. In other words, they had about two chances to find Kira.

"But does this mean…" Lacus started, unsure of how to word her conjecture. Athrun nodded, and she left it at that.

"So one of us is the culprit?" Shinn asked, standing up from his seat.

"It can't be…" Luna shook her head in disbelief.

"Or at least someone who had access to the building in the middle of the night," Athrun stated.

Everyone turned to look at the chief and he shifted uneasily. They didn't necessarily suspect him—it was just such an odd thought that they had to look at him.

"I regret to admit, that this may be my fault," he started, causing the perplexed looks to morph into astonished ones. He didn't waste a moment in explaining. "Last night I felt a draft enter my room, but I paid it no mind and went back to sleep. When I had woken this morning I came into the office and found the window open and the card on the desk held down by a paperweight. I checked the video surveillance, but it seems it was disconnected earlier in the evening."

"S-sir…" Lacus started, her face holding and hiding many emotions.

"H-how could you?!" Cagalli yelled. "That may have very well been our only lead!"

"Cagalli," Athrun said firmly.

His voice told her to stop, but she couldn't help herself. He saw that she was about to shout something else, but he quickly moved over to her grabbing her wrist with one hand and placing another over her mouth. She was shocked by his intervention, but made no move to protest. He shook his head and her eyes told him she wouldn't speak out of line. He released his hold on her, but remained standing by her.

Everyone seemed to be stunned by the event that had just passed. When had the two of them become so close?

"Heh, maybe it's a sign that we're not supposed to find him," Shinn said sarcastically as he stretched his arms in front of him.

Cagalli was furious that he would even suggest such an idea. She would have lunged at him had Athrun not done it first. He grabbed Shinn by the collar and easily lifted him inches off the ground. A look of fright passed over his face, but was quickly replaced by a cold, hard glare.

"Don't _ever_ assert such a claim." His voice was dangerously low.

Durandal cleared his throat and waited for the officers to turn their attention to him. When the clash between the two didn't seem to lessen, he began speaking anyway.

"Cagalli, Lacus, I truly am sorry that I had not acted sooner. But what is done is done. The facts cannot be changed. We can only go off of what we are given. Kira's letter is still our strongest lead. As such, I would like us to continue as planned and gather as much information as we can in Heliopolis. Lacus, I would like you to investigate as an official officer. Athrun, Cagalli, you will act as civilians. Rey, you may accompany them to the station, but I would then like you to return and remain here with me. Shinn and Luna, you are to act as a tourist couple."

Shinn made a disgusted face, causing Luna to smack him upside the head. Durandal ignored the scene in front of him and asked if there were any questions.

"Why do I have to be with her?" Shinn asked, pointing an offended finger.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Luna's face was red with anger or embarrassment. Or both. "It's not like I want to be your partner, either!"

"Jeez, by the end of this mission you're probably going to cause me the most harm," he said covering his ears. Her indigo eyes glared at him in response.

"All right, that's enough," Durandal said, silencing the bickering duo. "You were selected for this role because you fulfill the requirements perfectly."

They were speechless at the comment. Cagalli smirked.

"Unless you want to be with me…?" she suggested innocently, batting her eyelashes at him. Athrun's eye twitched and Shinn almost choked on his words.

"Y-yeah right!" he spat, fighting the red tint that appeared on his cheek.

"We should be going," Rey stated in both an attempt to arrive at their destination on time and to stop any further nonsense. The others nodded before heading out the door.

"Shinn, I'd like to speak with you." As Athrun held the door for the ladies he overheard bits of the conversation.

"You weren't in your room last night."

Shinn waited a moment before answering.

"I had things to take care of."

* * *

"Athrun, what's the matter?" a curious Luna asked as she peered up at him.

"Hm? Ah, sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"We noticed. Lacus only asked you the same thing three times," Cagalli mentioned casually. Athrun switched his gaze from the blonde to the pink haired girl as he apologized. Luna giggled at his embarrassment.

"It's all right. I was only asking if we should split into our designated groups before arriving at Heliopolis. It would appear less suspicious."

Athrun nodded in agreement, but Shinn and Rey were nowhere in sight.

"I don't mind replacing Shinn with Athrun," Luna chimed in, very happy with the idea.

"No!" Cagalli blurted. The three turned to look at her in surprise. "I mean, not yet. Um, we should wait for the others so that we can make sure everyone agrees since the decision was originally made by Durandal and we need everyone's approval before making changes. It's not that I mind not being with you—or anyone specific for that matter. It's just—"

"I agree with Cagalli." Lacus put a stop to her rambling. Cagalli silently thanked Lacus for her interruption. She had no idea why she was babbling like an idiot.

"Here they come now!" Luna exclaimed, as she waved to them.

"Lunamaria, has Shinn been acting… different lately?" Athrun asked. He wasn't sure how exactly to phrase the question. Cagalli and Lacus looked at him questioningly, but waited for the girl's response.

"So you've noticed too?" was her reply. "I thought it was only me," she added with a sigh.

Actually, Athrun hadn't suspected a thing. He was just curious since he had heard a part of their conversation earlier. He decided to nod and let her continue.

"He's still a jerk, but he's been even more moody lately. I saw him at the home furnishing store randomly and he was buying some weird supplies. I asked him what it was for, and he said it was for rock climbing. _When_ he started rock climbing is beyond me, but I just decided to leave it at that."

"I see," was Athrun's response. "I'll be right back." He made his way over to the two boys heading their way. "Shinn, we need to talk." Shinn opened his mouth to decline, but Athrun didn't give him a chance.

"Now."

Shinn grumbled before accepting and following Athrun behind a brick building. The girls exchanged confused looks as Rey came to join them. When Luna asked what that was about he simply shook his head.

* * *

Once they were out of sight Shinn demanded to know what the problem was.

"How's rock climbing?" Athrun asked.

"Luna…" Shinn muttered, glaring at Athrun. "It's fine. You should try it sometime."

"At four in the morning?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Even you should be able to see how suspicious this is. Disappearing in the middle of the night, buying strange equipment which is conveniently ideal for breaking into homes and buildings…"

"You're saying _I_ kidnapped Kira and stole the diamond?" Shinn challenged, an amused expression plastered on his face.

"I'm not ruling it out. And you're making it awfully difficult."

Shinn's expression changed to rage. Athrun stepped forward, but Shinn refused to back down.

"Well?"

Emerald met ruby and the piercing gazes only intensified as the minutes passed before one admitted defeat.

* * *

By the time Athrun and Shinn had returned, the group had decided to play a game of charades. Luna was hopping around and Cagalli was shouting out the names of different animals.

"Rabbit… Giraffe… kangaroo!"

"Bingo!"

"Alright! Another point for Cagalli," she said, pretending to add a point to her score. "Lacus, are you even trying?"

"This is… such an odd game," Lacus replied in honesty.

"Idiocy…" Rey mumbled.

"Hey, welcome ba—oh my gosh, what happened to you, Shinn?!" Luna shrieked as she pointed a finger at his busted lip.

"He ran into a pole." Athrun answered for him. Shinn simply nodded. It was clear that he had received a blow to the face, but no one dared question his response. Luna just nodded with her eyes wide open.

When Luna proposed the idea of switching the roles assigned to them, Shinn insisted that he remain with Luna. Cagalli thought about pretending to feel insulted, but let it go. They entered the station in their separate groups as Rey bid them farewell and good luck. Lacus was the first to buy her ticket and entered the train while Shinn and Luna argued about who was going to pay. No one could tell whether they were acting or actually fighting.

The remaining two decided to pay separately and Cagalli was the first to go up to the counter.

"Not going to ring the bell a hundred times?" came the sly remark. She looked up and immediately felt uncomfortable looking into the familiar, beady, dark eyes. When he leaned a little closer to her, she instinctively moved back, running into someone.

"We'd like two tickets, please." The voice was her savior. She tilted her head back to see Athrun staring down at her. His hands were resting on her shoulders. She smiled up at him and he shook his head with a slight smirk.

* * *

Fifteen minutes had passed and Cagalli was bored out of her mind. She hated sitting still and her companion wasn't doing much to entertain her. She asked what he and Shinn were talking about earlier and his response was a simple 'nothing really'. Even after reminding him that the conversation had resulted in a bloody lip, he only added that she was better off not knowing. It was clear she wasn't getting any more information. She glared at him, but he seemed not to notice as he flipped through the pages of his book.

She sighed before giving up. Obviously her attempt at giving him the silent treatment to get attention wasn't working as planned. She leaned her head against the window and watched as the trees came and went. Closing her eyes, Cagalli let her mind focus on the most recent events.

What would they find in Heliopolis? Was she _ready_ to face whatever they found? She was brought back from her thoughts when Luna appeared beside the two.

"Hey guys," she chirped. "I was just going up to the front to get something to drink. Wanna come?" All the while she was watching Athrun, her eyes filled with hope.

"I'm fine," Cagalli said bringing the girl's attention to her. Luna glanced at the girl as though she had completely forgotten about her.

"Athrun?"

"Sure." He placed his book in the pocket of the seat in front of him before standing up. "Are you sure you don't want anything, Cagalli?"

"Positive." There was a bit of resentment in her voice, which surprised her. The others didn't seem to notice and she was thankful.

"Athrun, you go ahead," Luna instructed as she shoved Athrun down the aisle. He shot her a questioning look before walking away. She turned to look at Cagalli and grinned.

"Thanks."

Before Cagalli had a chance to say anything, Luna hurried along, calling for Athrun to wait for her.

Cagalli was confused. _Thanks?_ What had she done? Refuse to go along so Luna could have Athrun to herself—wait, did Luna think she was setting them up?

Cagalli banged her head against the window. '_Well, whatever_' she thought as she watched them walk back. Athrun was saying something and the girl was gleaming with happiness.

Suddenly, the train jerked and Cagalli almost fell off her seat. She had grabbed on to the arm rest just in time. She looked up quickly to see if everyone else was all right. It seemed Athrun and Luna weren't as lucky. The shock had caused Luna to lose her balance and she would have fallen over had he not grabbed on to her. It only lasted a split second, but the moment where Athrun held Luna in his arms, seemed to reside in her memory.

He had immediately released her and apologized, embarrassed by the situation. She seemed to be ignoring him completely and was blushing tremendously at the thought of their contact. She bounced over to Cagalli, who could only stare at the two.

Her mouth ran and words spilled out, but Cagalli hadn't caught a single sentence until she said she was leaving.

"Okay, well I'm going to head back to my 'boyfriend'," she said reluctantly as she turned to walk back to her actual seat. Before leaving she winked at Cagalli, who just continued to stare back. It wasn't until Athrun had sat back in his seat and snapped his fingers in front of her face that she blinked twice and turned to face the window again.

'_Well… she can have him,'_ she thought to herself as she watched the trees pass one by one.

* * *

Athrun wasn't sure why, but Cagalli was acting different. The air around them seemed to have shifted for the worse. The roles had switched. He was now trying to get information out of her. He tried asking her questions, but she only gave him one word answers. On top of that, she didn't make eye contact with him. He was about to give up when his cell phone rang signifying the receipt of a text message.

"There's someone we need to meet in Heliopolis." He waited for a response, but got what he expected: nothing. "He may be able to give us a hint about Kira's location."

Just as he expected, the sound of her brother's name brought the girl out of her trance. She turned to look at him and their eyes finally met. She nodded and couldn't help but smile.

* * *

**  
Archerygurl:**

Smile? Because they're likely to find out about Kira... or because it's Athrun she's speaking to? Can anyone stay angry at Athrun for long?  
Argh, such a dense boy.  
.___.

And who's this person they're going to be meeting? Maybe Nicol? Or Dearka? Or Yzak?  
hmmmmm, your guess is as good as mine.

Thanks for reading.  
If you choose to review, I would be ecstatic.

=)


	5. Rendevous

**Archerygurl: **

Thanks for your reviews Jyudan, Mage666, Ting Ting, Kitty_rox, el-ch4n and Brownieeee.  
I had a fun time reading them!

Ok ok, my profile lied.  
Apparently I'm supposed to be locked away since exams are coming up.  
But I had this chapter practically complete... so the temptation to put it up was overwhelming.  
... yeah...

Did the last chapter confuse anyone?  
Just a heads up... I don't think this chapter is going to clear anything up.  
Except you find out who Cagalli and Athrun are meeting.  
=P

p.s. Sorry, Mage

* * *

**  
Recap:**

_"There's someone we need to meet in Heliopolis." He waited for a response, but got what he expected: nothing. "He may be able to give us a hint about Kira's location."_

_Just as he expected, the sound of her brother's name brought the girl out of her trance. She turned to look at him and their eyes finally met. She nodded and couldn't help but smile._

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 5**

**Rendezvous**

* * *

She had come to a decision.

She and Athrun were partners assigned to solve the case of her missing brother. That was it. Cagalli was sure that once Kira was found, she and Athrun would be split up into separate pairs to solve the Green Diamond mystery. It was clear that they were put together because they both knew Kira better than most. Though Lacus had a strong connection with her brother, she hadn't known him for nearly as long as she or Athrun had.

"Where is this person you mentioned?" she asked as she looked at her partner curiously.

"Probably at the bar," was his blunt reply.

Cagalli was surprised. Exactly what _kind_ of person were they meeting?

"Okay, so where's the bar?"

"We're not going there. I think…" he began, as he looked at her "it will be better if we just meet him at the park to discuss."

"It'll be faster if we just go to the bar though. Who knows if he can even make it to the park," she said sarcastically, but seriously none the less.

Athrun simply shook his head before saying that he didn't feel 'safe' taking her to the bar. That upset her. _She_ was the reason they had to wait around for this guy?

"I can handle myself at a bar!" she challenged, annoyed that he had so little faith in her.

"It's not you I'm worried about," he replied as they entered the park. "We're already here anyway."

Cagalli huffed. She was, to say the least, insulted. But it didn't matter at this point. As long as they got some information about her brother, she'd live with her bruised pride.

They waited for a good forty minutes and there were no signs of a useful, drunk gentleman making a grand appearance. She was beginning to get ticked off as she tapped her foot anxiously. Athrun took note of this, but decided not to say anything. Their relationship seemed to have taken a turn after their brief train travel.

Before the trip they had been casual and friendly with each other. Now, their conversations seemed forced or awkward. It seemed she only spoke to him when necessary. He played back the events of the travel to see if he had said or done something wrong, but he could find nothing. Athrun was brought back from his thoughts when the girl beside him stood up abruptly.

"I'm getting ice cream," she stated. He was slightly amused by her sudden craving. "If you want anything, I can get it for you."

He figured what she meant was, 'I'm getting ice cream by myself. Please don't come with me.'

"What are you getting?" he asked.

She seemed surprised by his question. "Chocolate cone." Her answer was obvious, since it was her favorite flavor.

"Then I'll get a vanilla cone."

She nodded before walking off.

_They complement one another.  
_

_

* * *

_  
Cagalli was annoyed at the line she saw ahead of her. A line was to be expected since it was a warm day, but this long? At least she wasn't last in line. She felt a tug on her shirt and looked down to see two boys staring up at her with big, hopeful eyes. With a sigh, she asked if she could help them. One spoke up asking if he and his friends could cut in front of her. Reluctantly, she agreed, but was pleased when she saw his eyes light up. Before she had a chance to treasure her good deed she felt as though she were going to be stampeded by a herd of wild, ice cream loving children.

Jumping to the side to avoid being trampled, Cagalli was shocked to see that a little kid could have so many friends. She turned around to see that she was now the last one in line for ice cream. Fighting the urge to throw a tantrum, she bit her lower lip and tried to admire the scenery of the park.

To her relief it didn't take long until it was her turn to order. When she asked for a simple chocolate and vanilla cone, the cashier gave her a strange look. Apparently, she wasn't used to serving the traditional flavors. After getting the ice cream she grabbed a bunch of napkins and turned around to walk when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Aren't you going to get fat if you eat both of those?"

She spun around on her heels, anger clearly visible in her eyes. First, she had to wait for what seemed like an eternity to get the treats and now she was being mocked about it? It was one thing if a friend said it, but she was not about to take this from a complete stranger. He returned her glare with a lopsided grin and her infuriated look turned into an uneasy one.

"Hey, you're actually kinda pretty," he slurred.

She wasn't sure whether she was to feel complemented or offended. Something in Cagalli's brain clicked.

"Wait, you're—" but before she could finish he leaned forward and collapsed.

* * *

"I can't believe the wonderful 'Green Diamond' has gone missing!" Luna cried.

"Yeah, it's a shame." Shinn's response was hardly dramatic. She glared at him. "What?"

She pulled him over to a corner and made sure no one followed.

"Shinn, we're supposed to be tourists."

"I know."

"Then act more traumatized by its disappearance! Hopefully someone will hear us and tell us anything they know," she reasoned.

"If anything, your outbursts are going to cause people to avoid us," he answered honestly.

Her glare didn't disappear so he sighed before agreeing to her plan. She smiled as she took his hand and led him towards the next tourist attraction. She grimaced when they learned that they had to take a hot, stuffy bus to their destination.

"How annoying," she mumbled. She noticed Shinn wasn't paying attention to her and instead was looking elsewhere. She followed his gaze but only saw a crowd of adults arguing about the bus fair and two little children scurrying past them. "What are you so dazed about?"

"Huh? Nothing," he replied as he snapped back into reality and boarded the bus with her following behind.

* * *

Cagalli was taking a long time. It had been at least fifteen minutes and there was still no sign of her. Athrun decided to take a walk to clear his mind. As he looked up to the blue sky, he was suddenly brought out of his thoughts when he heard a shriek. He knew all too well who the voice belonged to and rushed to the scene.

He was shocked by what he saw. There was Cagalli, entangled in another guy's arms. His head was resting on her shoulder. The sight of them infuriated Athrun. Instead of buying ice cream, she had gone off with some other guy to do who knows what. Without a word, he turned to walk off when her voice caught his attention. He refused to look at her and took a step away.

"A-Athrun!" she yelled again. She wasn't about to give up. "Get your dope of a friend off of me!" she demanded.

His ears replayed what she hollered and he instantly turned around, a look of bewilderment mixed with outrage spread across his face. He was no longer angry at the girl and she quickly found him by her side. Without a word he pulled Cagalli out of the other man's grasp and both watched as he fell onto the cement floor beneath them.

Cagalli now had the baffled look. She wanted Athrun to get the guy off her, but she wasn't expecting him to let the guy hit the floor with such force. She was brought back from her musing when Athrun placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you alright? Did he do anything to you?" He sounded distressed. He hadn't even looked at the guy now lying peacefully on the floor. "I'm sorry, I should have been here sooner."

"I-it's fine," Cagalli said, still processing what had happened. Why was he acting so worried? She had only left for a couple minutes.

"You're sure?" he asked again. His hands were still placed on her shoulders and she nodded to assure him everything was all right. "What… exactly happened?" He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know what the mischievous guy was up to.

"I was just heading back when he said a bunch of crap, but before I could say or do anything he just fainted." She turned to look at him momentarily before continuing. "You really weren't kidding when you said he was at the bar."

They heard a grunt and both looked below. He was rubbing his head, though he hadn't seemed to have regained his consciousness yet.

Athrun stepped in front of Cagalli protectively and she peered over his shoulder at the boy.

"Athrun, do you really think he'll be able to—Ah! What are you doing?!" She grabbed his arm to try to stop him from kicking the boy in front of them.

"At this rate he's never going to get up," he reasoned as he continued nudging the boy. "Dearka, get up," he demanded as his soft taps became more rough.

Cagalli could only watch in slight horror. Either the two were really close friends or Athrun was very annoyed. She decided not to interfere and merely watched the scene before her. The one he called Dearka groaned as he rubbed his head and slowly lifted himself up off the ground. He appeared confused when he looked at the two, but jumped to his feet when he realized that his mind wasn't deceiving him.

"Athrun, long time no see!" he exclaimed as he eyed the boy. "How's Yzak doing? Angry as ever, probably." He then turned his attention to Cagalli and raised an eyebrow. "Who's this chick?" he asked, pointing a finger at her.

"I have a name!" she spat. "Cagalli. Ca-ga-li." She glared at the boy, but his expression didn't change.

"She's my… partner."

_Partner._

So that's all Cagalli really was to him. She wasn't sure why she felt so surprised since she had come to the same conclusion earlier that day. Something about hearing him agree to it made her heart sink though.

"Oh?" He didn't sound convinced. "So why's she holding your hand?"

"W-what?" Cagalli had forgotten that she had grabbed onto his arm when Athrun decided to kick his friend. She immediately released his arm and tried her hardest to stop herself from blushing. Dearka had an amused look on his face, but Athrun was only glaring at him.

"It's because you were harassing her," was his cool, yet angry, reply.

"'Harassing?' What are you talking about?" he said disbelievingly. "I was just walking through the park to meet you when… wait, when did I get to the park?"

"Anyway," Athrun said between clenched teeth. It was time to bring back the topic at hand. "When I last talked to you, you mentioned that things have been 'different' around here lately."

"Oh yeah, especially at night. It started the night the Green Diamond went missing…" He reminisced.

"I think it'll be better if we move elsewhere to discuss this," Cagalli suggested as she glanced at their surroundings. They agreed and the three moved to a more remote location.

* * *

"Hello, my name is Lacus Clyne and I am with the police force. Would it be all right if I asked you a couple of questions in regards to the Green Diamond case?" She pulled out her id and showed it to the distrusting boy sitting in the café. He scanned over it with his skeptical, calm aquatic eyes before smiling at her.

"Of course, have a seat," he said as he motioned for her to sit in the empty seat across from him. "Anything for a pretty lady."

"Thank you for your cooperation." She took her seat and pulled out her notebook.

He insisted that she order something, but she politely declined. When he saw that her mind was made up, he ordered a hot chocolate for her. She was surprised by his gesture, but he assured her it was nothing.

"So what did you want to ask me about the Green Diamond? The only information I have is what I've seen on the news, and I'm sure you already know that stuff," he said as he ran his right hand through his faded blue hair.

"Has there been any suspicious activity going on in Heliopolis over the last couple of days?"

He seemed to ponder the question as he leaned back in his chair. Lacus waited patiently, but couldn't refrain herself from meddling with her fingers. She seemed anxious.

"Nothing unusual goes on during the day, but the nights are a little strange."

"'Strange?'" she repeated. "How so?"

"There are rumors that a gang of thieves lurks around robbing stores. If you walk around at night you may hear them rustling through the bushes. People say they're some type of 'dwarf' cult. You'll never find them though. Business owners complain that in the morning many of their goods have gone missing."

Lacus listened to him carefully, absorbing the information. He finished with a chuckle saying that he believed it was just a way to scare the public. She nodded before she addressed him again.

"There's something else I would like to ask you…"

"Is it about whoever gave you that ring?" he asked as he saw her eyes widen in astonishment. "You've been playing with it nervously for a while."

She nodded once again, slightly embarrassed due to her obviousness.

"It was given to me by a… dear friend," she said as she lowered her gaze. He waited patiently for her to continue. "I- we're not really sure where he is though. He has dark brown hair, the gentlest violent eyes, and the sweetest voice. He's about 170 centimeters tall and weighs a little less than 60 kilograms."

"I'm sorry, but I haven't seen anyone around here like that," he said shaking his head. "But if I do, I can contact you. Do you have a card or something?" He slipped a card with his name and number across the table to the girl.

"Thank you for everything." She looked at the card and placed it in her purse before handing him one of her own. Before she walked out of the café she heard him call her name.

"Miss Clyne, I'm sure that person is very important to you. I hope you find him as soon as possible."

She smiled weakly at him before walking out.

* * *

"You would think that the bus would have air conditioning…" Luna complained.

She wasn't the only one suffering, though. There were at least thirty other people on the bus, which was only meant to hold twenty five. Luckily she and Shinn had gotten seats—not the most comfortable ones, but seats none the less.

"And even after this whole trip we won't get a chance to see the Green Diamond," her partner replied in disappointment.

The girl was surprised. Not only was he acting, he was _good_ at it. Misinterpreting her expression, a voice interrupted the two.

"Haven't you heard, ma'am? The 'Green Diamond' went missing earlier this week," The gentleman sitting across from the two informed. He was wearing a pair of casual jeans with his red blouse tucked in.

"O-oh yeah. I remember hearing about it on the radio, but I hadn't looked into it." She shook her head. "I still don't understand how something so precious and heavily guarded could have been stolen just like that." She finished by snapping her finger.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. There are some rumors that it was a magician who did black magic and has now run away with the jewel. It's a little farfetched if you ask me, but there are other rumors too," he said as he removed his spectacles and wiped them with his shirt. "They really shouldn't let the bus exceed its maximum capacity. All this body heat and breathing is fogging up my glasses."

Luna shot Shinn a questioning look, but he continued to look at the boy in front of them.

"What are the other rumors?" he asked, interested to see if there were some they hadn't heard before.

"Well, the only other one that I think is even remotely possible is something I overheard on the subway a while back," he started, leaning back in his seat. "I'm trying to keep it on the down low though," he said as he stopped with his story.

"I'm afraid you'll have to share it with us," Luna said as she took out her badge and showed it to him. "I'm Lunamaria Hawke and this is my partner, Shinn Asuka. The two of us are with Orb's police force."

He looked at the badges uneasily before he agreed to share his story with them.

"I can't tell you specific names, but I heard that the burglar who had stolen the jewel had a couple of accomplices. One person wasn't enough to cleverly steal it. They planned to sell the diamond and make trillions, but something went wrong while they were in Zaft and they 'disposed' of it. That's all I know," he finished, trying to convince them it was the truth.

"Are you sure there's nothing else?" Shinn asked, accusingly. He nodded his head nervously.

"Thanks for your cooperation," Luna said smiling. She knew he felt uncomfortable and decided to make the situation a little easier for him.

The bus had arrived at the destination and passengers began exiting the bus. She tugged on Shinn's sleeve to indicate that they were leaving. Before standing up and following her, Shinn asked the gentleman if he could get a business card or some form of identification in case they needed to contact him in the future. He shook his head, but gave Shinn his name and phone number.

* * *

Lacus continued down the street, pondering the story the boy had shared with her. Would he be considered an authentic source? She wondered if others would share a similar story about the rumors. While walking through the downtown area she glanced across the street and saw Luna and Shinn walking together.

The boy made eye contact with her and she nodded before switching her gaze over to his partner. Luna was admiring the jewelry decorating the windows. She couldn't help but wonder if the girl had forgotten her goal and was shopping for herself or if she were portraying the perfect tourist.

She brushed the thought aside as she continued down the sidewalk. She glanced through the windows and was surprised at who she saw inside. She quickly entered the store to confirm her discovery.

* * *

Cagalli, Athrun, and Dearka had made their way to a local diner. Since the weather was nice Cagalli suggested they sit outside and talk. Before they could make their way to the table with three chairs a youngster came by and took one of the chairs.

"Well, never mind then," Cagalli said as she approached the door leading inside.

"I don't mind if you sit on my lap…" Dearka said seductively. Cagalli made a disgusted face and he laughed. "Don't deny it, you kno—" He was stopped midsentence when a door hit him in the face. He turned around angrily, but his look changed to one of shock when he saw the door handle in Athrun's hands. Cagalli was staring wide eyed as well.

"The door was jammed." Athrun's reply was monotonous.

Once inside the three took a seat by the window. The story that awaited them would shock the two detectives. They would rethink everything that had once believed.

* * *

**  
Archerygurl:**

Hmm, was there a little too much information in this chapter?  
It shall all be explained... some day...

This chapter has a lot of hints about what's to come in the future.  
Was it too subtle? Too obvious?

hahah, I looked up Kira's info on wikipedia

Next chapter will shock you!  
Maybe?


	6. Revelation

**Meisha:**

Exams are finally over! *happy*happy*

I apologize for the length of this chapter.  
I just wanted to upload something before I vanished for a bit.

Thank you for your reviews, Tezuka R, GS4ever, Cagallifangurl, Mage666, CagalliTen, Ting Ting and Kitty_rox.

* * *

**.:.:. The Heart's Diamond .:.:.  
**

**Chapter 6**

**Revelation**

**

* * *

  
**

Once situated, Athrun asked Dearka to elaborate on the events he had witnessed the night the Green Diamond had gone missing.

"I was walking back home after a long night. I was at—well, you can guess. At any rate, I wasn't in the best state of mind, but I can still remember what happened clearly. I was walking down a dark alley when I heard a girl scream. She must have been in distress, so I thought I'd be the hero and save her and then take her out to dinner and a movie—Ow! Ok, fine, I digressed a little," Dearka admitted as he rubbed the spot on his head where Athrun had hit him.

"Anyway, I approached where she was, but before making an appearance I decided to stay hidden and watch. She was panting, like she had been running for a while. I decided to see what would happen from the corner and before I knew it, an officer had jumped out and grabbed the girl. She struggled to get away from him, but she wasn't strong enough. And then, in the blink of an eye, a third person joined the quarrel and before I knew it, the officer was knocked out. He moved so fast that I could barely keep up. The new arrival whispered something to her and she nodded before running of. She had something wrapped in her arms, but I couldn't make out what it was. The new guy kneeled over the officer and then turned to look directly at me. I don't know when he noticed me, but it sent shivers down my spine and that was the last thing I remember. The next morning I woke up on the park bench."

"Wait, wait, wait." Cagalli's mind was jumbled with all the information from the story. "You said an 'officer' was there?" She knew Athrun was thinking the same thing. "Was he taken after he was knocked out or did they just leave him there?" She was starting to sound desperate.

"I don't know. I returned the next day, but it was like nothing happened the night before." He knew his answer would disappoint the girl, but it was the truth. She really hadn't expected him to know, but the possibility that it may have been Kira made her heart beat three times as fast.

"I can't be sure this is the person you're looking for though…"

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

"I dunno if it was because it was dark, or I wasn't thinking straight, but the officer didn't seem like a nice guy." He shifted uneasily when he saw her narrow her eyes at him. She waited for him to explain. "From what I could tell, it looked like he was trying to… abuse her."

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice dangerously low.

"It looked like he was trying to… pull her shirt off," he managed to say, watching the girl and Athrun cautiously.

"Kira would never do something like that!" Cagalli yelled, standing up from her seat and slamming her hands on the table in front of them. "You should get your eyes checked!"

She had already decided that this 'officer' was her brother and that he had been captured by whoever had violently attacked him.

"Cagalli, calm down," Athrun said as he reached for her arm. She turned to look at him disbelievingly.

"You don't honestly believe him, do you?" she accused, confused by his calm stature.

"We don't know for sure if it was Kira."

She kept quiet. He was right, but she wanted to believe so badly that it was her brother and that they would soon find him.

"There is one other thing that I remember," Dearka said as he brought the two back from their thoughts. They waited for him to finish his memory. "The one who turned to me… he had such a piercing gaze, as though he was some other species—a vampire of some sort. His eyes held this vicious, fiery gaze. Red as blood…"

"R-red?" Cagalli stuttered. There was only one person she knew who had such eyes.

She turned to her partner to see her fears confirmed.

* * *

**Meisha:**

I'm just going to leave it at that.

Happy Holidays, everyone =)


	7. Promise

**Meisha:**

Again, sorry for the briefness of the last chapter.  
I found a lot of the comments amusing though xD

Thanks to Tezuka R, BrownSugaredCandy, Cagalli_Ten, kitty_rox, memeylupht, Babaloo, Ting Ting and Mage666 for reviewing.

* * *

**Recap:**

_"There is one other thing that I remember," Dearka said as he brought the two back from their thoughts. They waited for him to finish his memory. "The one who turned to me… he had such a piercing gaze, as though he was some other species—a vampire of some sort. His eyes held this vicious, fiery gaze. Red as blood…"_

_"R-red?" Cagalli stuttered. There was only one person she knew who had such eyes. She turned to her partner to see her fears confirmed._

_

* * *

  
_

**.::. The Heart's Diamond .::.**

**Chapter 7**

**Promise**

**

* * *

  
**

A million questions flooded her mind. As much of a brute as Shinn was, she simply could not believe the fact that he could very well have been the person they had all been searching for. And here he was _pretending_ to help them.

Everything seemed to fit together. When she saw the look on Athrun's face she knew he had the exact same thought as her. They had left the diner about a half hour ago after thanking Dearka. He was surprised by their sudden urge to leave, but didn't get in their way.

She thought about all the pieces and how they fit together in her head.

The Green Diamond had been taken and Kira had gone to look for clues. He returned to the house sometime Tuesday night and left the note for Cagalli and headed out again. Then, during the night he must have found Shinn and somehow the confrontation took a turn for the worse. Wherever Kira was now, Shinn would know. Again during the night, Shinn could have snuck into the house through the window and placed the Ace of Spades on the bookshelf.

Still, even with this all figured out, Cagalli had doubts. She shared her ideas with Athrun and he seemed to listen to every word carefully. He seemed to think that the evidence and her conjecture were flawless, but he still had an uneasy look.

"Athrun…"

"Cagalli, I really am hopeful that we're going to find Kira. But…"

'_But_.'

Cagalli wasn't sure she wanted to hear what else he had to say.

"… I just can't believe that Shinn is responsible," he finished. He waited patiently for her to blow up at him with her angry remarks, but she said nothing. He turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were closed as they were walking.

"Your intuition?" she asked. He was surprised, but he managed to nod. She sighed. "The only way we're going to find out is if we ask him though."

"I… did."

"What?" She turned to give him a confused look. "When?"

"When we were at the station I asked to talk to Shinn while the rest of you waited."

She remembered the events from that morning and how Athrun and Shinn had left the group to discuss something. So that's what they were talking about. It made sense, now that she thought about it. What Luna had said about Shinn acting strangely… it all fit together. He had suspected Shinn from the beginning. He watched as her confused expression changed to one of hurt. He looked at her curiously before asking what was wrong.

"That was hours ago," she said, stating a fact. He nodded again, not sure where the conversation was going. "Why… why didn't you tell me? Why wouldn't you share something that important with me? I'm your partner. He's my brother. Don't I at least deserve that much?" She was having a hard time getting the last bits of her question out as her eyes began to sting. She blinked to try and clear her vision.

Athrun didn't know what to say.

Everything that she said was true. And she had every right to know what was going on. Why hadn't he told her? Maybe because he, himself, didn't want to believe it. Whatever his reason, it was selfish. He wanted to tell her, but couldn't find the right words to say. He had never meant to hurt her—he thought that by keeping this from her he would possibly be doing a favor.

He looked into her eyes. She was struggling to keep her tears from falling while waiting for an answer. He gave her the only answer he could. He pulled her into an embrace.

He wrapped one hand around her and used the other to stroke her hair as he apologized. It took a moment for her to realize what was happening, but she made no move to pull back. Her arms stayed planted by her sides as she leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder. She stopped herself from crying, but she still couldn't rid herself of the pained feeling inside her.

"Cagalli, you're absolutely right. There was no reason for me to keep this from you. We _are_ partners on this case. I don't know if you can forgive me, but from now on I won't keep anything from you. You deserve to know just as much as me."

She felt relieved to hear those words whispered to her. It was exactly what she needed to hear. She gently pushed against his chest, to which he soften his hold on her. Her golden eyes met his emerald ones.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She seemed to search his face for loop holes, but when she was satisfied with the response she received, she smiled up at him and returned to his embrace, resting her head against his chest.

* * *

"I told him to say what was instructed," the woman replied, her eyes narrowing at the young man in front of her. "Though I'm still against it."

"Your opinion on the matter is neither sought nor significant. Our missions are to follow orders." He noticed she was no longer looking at him, but had resumed her job of cleaning the table. He too resumed reading the newspaper while stirring his drink.

"Rey, why are you Heliopolis?" He was not surprised by the sudden voice and continued reading the paper.

"Sir Durandal had me come here," he replied, without taking his eyes off the paper. From the corner of his eye he saw the girl take a seat next to him.

"I had thought that the Chief wanted you to remain by his side to complete some investigation." Her voice was calm, yet forceful.

"Yes, it was the original idea. However, as we all know, things do not always go according to plan."

"A true statement. But I cannot help but wonder why you would be sent to a place such as this to investigate." He was well aware that she was prying with her words. He watched her gaze shift from him to the waitress who was now serving another customer.

"Sir Durandal feels it is the best way—in regards to rescuing Kira," he said as he put the newspaper down and turned to face the girl.

"Very well. When you return, please give him my regards." She eyed him cautiously before standing up. He nodded and she left without another word.

The waitress approached Rey once again. Before she had a chance to say anything he asked for the bill. She gave it to him without question, and looked out the window to make sure the girl was nowhere in sight.

"She knows," was all she said.

"Miss Clyne should also know that there are many facts that should remain confidential, whether they are business related… or personal."

Lacus shook her head slightly as an amused smile appeared on her lips. She turned off the audio device and continued with her assigned investigation.

Officers were the most difficult.

* * *

Without any further leads, Cagalli and Athrun had decided that it would be best to confront Shinn together. Their only problem at the moment, was locating him. Once that was solved, they would ask Lunamaria to give them some time alone. Together they would be able to get him to talk in no time.

"They could be anywhere," Cagalli mumbled.

"Well, they're supposed to be tourists. What are the most frequently visited places in Heliopolis for tourists?"

"Like I said, they could be anywhere," she repeated. He gave her a disapproving look to which she replied with an innocent, half smile.

"Hibiki! Cagalli?" a voice stopped the two as they turned to see a girl with many shopping bags running towards them.

"Friend?" Athrun asked.

"No."

The girl had approached the two and dropped her bags. It took a moment for her to catch her breath and they waited patiently.

"What brings you to Heliopolis?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, we're—"

"Ohh, who's this gorgeous being?" she asked, eyes wandering over Athrun. "Your boyfriend?"

Cagalli nearly choked. Just because she was walking around with a guy didn't automatically make them a couple.

"N—"

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, smiling and holding out his hand.

"Would you guys let me finish!" She was irritated at the interruptions. "And what!?" She turned to face Athrun with confusion and rage. "Excuse us for a moment," she said sweetly as the girl nodded absentmindedly and she dragged Athrun away.

* * *

Once they were out of earshot she released her hold on Athrun's shirt and looked at him expectantly.

"Yes?" he asked innocently.

"What was that!?"

"What was what?"

"You, boyfriend, me." She seemed to have lost the ability to form proper sentences. He smiled- no smirked at her. She felt her cheeks heat up.

"If you think about it, it's the most logical explanation." She seemed to ponder the idea and waited for him to continue. "And for a case as delicate as this one we need to be as convincing as possible. The best way to be convincing is to be truthful."

"Well, what about Dearka! You can't go around telling people different stories. It's going to come back and get you," she argued. She seemed to miss his last point of reasoning as the memory of their encounter with the other gentleman filled her thoughts. He had referred to her simply as 'his partner'.

"Dearka's… complicated," Athrun explained. "He tends to compete in the oddest of things. If I had given us any deeper a relationship, his behavior would have been even more… improper."

She nodded, though she didn't fully understand what he meant. He glanced over at the girl they had abandoned and asked if they should return. She agreed.

* * *

"Sorry about that." Cagalli was trying to think of a good explanation for suddenly snatching Athrun away, but her mind was not cooperating.

"Oh, I completely understand. If I had someone half as gorgeous as him, I would try to keep him all to myself too," she said, smiling mischievously.

"Th-that's—er n-no. It's not what you think." Cagalli was failing miserably at her attempted denial. She shot Athrun a helpless look, but he did nothing to help. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying it. His eyes showed it.

"Anyway, I'm Flay Allster." She reached out her hand towards Athrun. They hadn't had a chance to shake hands before since Cagalli had dragged him away. He shook her hand and gave her his name. "Cagalli, I'm happy to finally see you with someone other than that fluffy princess." Her voice attempted to hide hints of anger and jealously.

Athrun raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Cagalli who sighed.

"Flay, Lacus and I are, and always will be, friends. I really don't understand why you have so much against her. Things just didn't work out as you planned, but that's no reason to hate her. You can't keep living in the past." Cagalli seemed to have this monologue memorized. Though she would repeat it to the girl countless times, it never seemed to sink in.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against her anymore," Flay seemed to not only want to convince the two in front of her, but herself as well. "I've actually met someone very special. He's a darling, once you crack his outer shell anyway."

Cagalli now tilted her head slightly. Had Flay actually found someone else? She had obsessed over her brother for years. They had an on and off, complicated relationship for a while, even after Kira had joined the Orb Police Department. Though Kira and Lacus were fond of each other, they thought of themselves as nothing more than colleagues, yet Flay was immensely jealous. Finally Kira had had enough and broke it off. They remained 'friends', though the exact term was pretty controversial. Flay moved to Heliopolis and about a year later Kira and Lacus had become a couple.

Cagalli, herself, was not a close friend of Flay's, but she did feel empathy for the girl. Flay had lost her mother at an early age and her father buried himself in his work to escape the grief of their loss. It was Kira she turned to for comfort, and he gladly obliged. But her character was that of a spoiled girl who wanted everything for herself and things to go her way. It was a challenge for anyone.

"He's of the same line as you guys," the red head continued. "But he's retired now. He treats me like a princess…" she gestured to the bags. "…just like my father. I know daddy will approve of Yzak."

It was Athrun's turn to speak.

"Joule?" he asked, slightly surprised. Cagalli glanced at him. Were they friends? Seeing her look, he clarified. "He used to be a part of Orb's police force, but he left us a while back. He's originally from Zaft, like me."

Cagalli nodded in understanding while Flay nodded in agreement.

* * *

They continued their discussion until the sun began to set.

"We're actually living together at the moment. You should come visit us some time!"

Athrun agreed as did Cagalli. They were about to go their separate ways when a fourth companion rushed to the scene.

"Here you guys are!" the newly arrived spunky girl called.

"Who's that?" Flay asked. She seemed a tad annoyed by how energetic the girl was.

"Hey, Luna. This is Flay, a… friend," Cagalli introduced. She hoped she didn't sound too artificial. "Where's… Shinn?" she asked as she noted the missing boy and peered at Athrun worriedly. He simply waited for the girl's response.

"Oh, my good old 'boyfriend' abandoned me." She emphasized the word boyfriend with sarcasm and quickly latched herself onto Athrun's arm. "Mind if I borrow Athrun?"

He, along with Flay and Cagalli, were surprised by her action and, naturally, he tried to pull his hand back. She noticed the confused looks she was getting and detached herself before laughing shyly.

Oh, it's ok. They're… brother and sister," she attempted to justify her actions to the girl she had never met before.

Athrun's eyes widened while Flay's expression changed to one of immense confusion. Cagalli shut her eyes tightly, scrunched her face, and mentally smacked her forehead. First off, she had just convinced _herself_ that she and Athrun would be acting like a couple. And Flay was clearly convinced by their act as well. Secondly, who on earth would believe her obvious lie. She and Athrun had absolutely no similarities, neither physical nor character wise. And to Flay who already knew Cagalli and Kira were siblings, none the less. Cagalli wanted to strangle Luna.

Athrun laughed, bringing her back from her murderous thoughts. It was a nervous laugh, but a hopeful one. They all seemed to wait for what he had to say.

"We get along so well that it's as though we're siblings."

It was lame, but it was the best he could come up with and Cagalli wasn't about to complain. Flay seemed to accept it and smiled, though the confusion didn't completely leave her face. Luna now seemed confused, but before she had a chance to blurt anything else Cagalli quickly shoved the girl and Athrun.

"Yep, exactly!" she tried so hard to sound convincing, but she knew it wouldn't last long, if at all. "Ok, you guys have fun, but make sure you bring him back to me!" she called, as she continued to push the two until they were walking away on their own.

Athrun turned back to give Cagalli an apologetic and frightened look. She kept her false, gleeful smile as she waved to the two. She had no idea it took so much effort to seem happy. Flay brought the girl's attention back to her.

"Wow, Cagalli. You two really must be close. Trusting your man with another woman, I would never be able to do that."

Cagalli flinched. She didn't like what had just happened, but there really wasn't anything they could have done differently. She responded with a simple 'yeah'.

Flay continued to chatter away and Cagalli listened, or appeared to be listening at any rate. She wasn't big on idle talk, but decided it was probably the only time she would see Flay in a long while. Flay talked about how she and Yzak had met at the local bar. He was mad about quitting the Orb Police Force while she was mad about her relationship status and that was how they first bonded. It wasn't until she saw a familiar figure in the distance that she cut Flay off.

"Hey, Flay, it was nice seeing you, but I have something I need to take care of." She felt bad for leaving in the middle of a story, but she couldn't let this opportunity pass. Flay nodded and said she hoped to see Cagalli soon before she headed off with her bags.

She had lost the person she was first looking at, but figured he had gone through the trees. She followed, hoping that she'd find him again. By this time the sun had vanished and the large trees overhead weren't providing for much moonlight to pass through. She had to rely on her own insight to guide her through the bushes. Cagalli winced when she scraped her ankle against a sharp branch… or thorn, she wasn't really sure, but trudged on ahead. There was only one thing on her mind right now… and that was to find _him_.

* * *

**Meisha:**

"Him"?  
Him who?

I'm sorry if this chapter was very confusing. Is it all over the place?  
If you have any questions, feel free to message me.


	8. Friend or Foe: Part I

**Meisha:**

Well, looks like summer's back again. I do apologize for the late update and hope that those of you who followed the story up till this point are still interested. I would also, once again, like to thank everyone for your kind words and reviews.

* * *

**.::. Heart's Diamond .::.**

**Friend or Foe  
Part I**

**Chapter 8**

**

* * *

**

She had lost track of him completely. She looked from side to side, hoping to catch even a glimpse of the boy, but he was nowhere to be seen. She cursed mentally. This was the perfect opportunity and it had slipped right through her fingers. Frustrated, she stomped on the branches lying on the ground and shoved the ones that hung in her path. As she stepped into a clearing her eyes widened and her movements froze.

Standing right in front of her was the boy. Luckily, he was looking in the opposite direction, but he must have heard her as he was looking around cautiously. Quickly, she jumped back into the bushes and covered her mouth with her hands.

Cagalli watched him like a hawk, but refused to take even the slightest breath. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he continued on his way. Cagalli waited a moment before following. She took extra caution to be close enough to see him, yet far enough not to be seen.

.::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::.

The trip seemed never ending. She was sure she had seen the same rock at least seven times. Then, a thought hit her. Had he figured it out? Did he know she was following him? If that was the case, it was only a matter of time before he found her. And what would happen after that? She winced at the thought.

There was no telling what _Shinn_, of all people, would do to someone he didn't like.

After a couple more moments they seemed to have reached a clearing. The sound of rushing water could be heard and Cagalli peered over the bush to see that Shinn was standing by a cliff. He turned around and scrutinized the surrounding once again, while Cagalli held her breath. After he was satisfied he turned back to the cliff.

'_Okay, what a weirdo. It's like he's some sort of nature—HOLY CRAP! He just jumped!"_ She was completely thrown off by his action. Had he really just jumped off a cliff?

Acting on impulse, she ran to the edge of the cliff and scanned the waters below. There was no sign of a boy falling through the air nor was there a splash signifying he had already hit the water.

Now she was beyond confused. She put both her hands on top of her head, as though she couldn't take in what just happened. She stepped back, almost tripping. Glancing down, she saw a vine. No, it was actually a rope?

She raised an eyebrow at the cleverly, camouflaged cord and followed its trail to see that it led off the cliff. She glanced over the cliff once again and was surprised to see that the rope hung over the entrance to a cave of some sort.

For the first time since her chase began, she hesitated. It didn't take long to convince herself to follow the boy though. She carefully climbed down the rope. The last thing she wanted or needed was to fall to her death. She let out a relieved sigh as she entered the cave. It was dark, but she guided herself through by following the walls.

Once outside again she found the surrounding completely different. She knew she was still in the forest, but many of the trees had been cleared away and a beautiful lake was within view. Cagalli admired the calm, tranquil water until a crow brought her out of her thoughts and reminded her of why she was there. Unsure of where to head next, she followed the dirt path located conveniently in front of her.

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She found Shinn walking towards a rundown house of some sort. He approached the door and knocked, stepping back to wait. It was a couple moments later that the door slightly opened and he seemed to whisper something to the person. Cagalli couldn't see who he was speaking to, but as she leaned more to the side to capture a glance he walked in and the door shut.

This was it.

Her chance to find Kira. Whatever Shinn was up to—it was all too suspicious to be ignored. Suddenly, she remembered that she and Athrun had agreed to interrogate Shinn together. However, when she pulled her phone she had no connection. She was, after all, in the middle of a forest. Again, she cursed unsure of her next course of action. There was no way to get in contact with Athrun unless she left to find him. But if Shinn was on to her, they would never have as great an opportunity. Her heart was racing simply thinking that her brother could very well be held hostage in the building fifty feet in front of her.

Cagalli was not about to let this chance go. There were only two things she could do. Knock on the front door or sneak in. Which would it be?

She summoned up her courage and approached the door.

.::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::.

Cagalli took in a deep breath before knocking on the door. There was no response, but she continued to wait patiently, trying to calm her nerves.

"W-who is it?" The voice was soft, and Cagalli had to strain her ears to hear what was said.

"My name is Cagalli Hibiki and I am with the Orb Police Force. I have a couple of questions to ask you." She tried her best to keep her voice from wavering.

"P-police force?" It sounded like the voice belonged to a girl and she sounded frightened. "I-I'm sorry. There is nothing here. I think you have the wrong person," she attempted to shut the door, but Cagalli had her foot placed between the door and frame as a wedge.

"I know Shinn is here and I need to talk to him." By this time she had placed her hand on the door to ensure it was not shut. Her golden eyes kept a steady gaze with the terrified fuchsia ones. For the first time she felt no hesitation. She was determined to find out what was going on.

The girl made no response, but simply shook her head tried to shut the door again, but Cagalli refused to let her.

"You don't understand – "

"You?" Shinn's voice shocked her. She turned her gaze from the girl to the boy she had been following the entire evening.

"Shinn! What—" before she had a chance to ask him anything she was pulled into the house.

.::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::. .::.::.::.::.::.::.::.

Cagalli winced as her back made contact with the cold, hard wall, but refused to make even the slightest sound of discomfort. She opened her eyes to find furious, piercing red ones leering at her. After being dragged into the building he had pinned her up against a wall with his hands.

"What the hell are you doing?" She matched his glare with one of her own.

"How did you get here? Who did you bring with you?" His grip on her tightened and she couldn't stop the gasp from escaping her lips as his nails dug into her skin.

"I should be asking you that! You have no right to— "

"Shut up! Athrun, you brought him didn't you?"

"Maybe I did," she challenged. He released her arms, but before giving her a chance to feel relieved, grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up with ease.

"Don't mess around with me!" His voice was dangerous and sent a shiver down her spine.

"I came alone."

"You're lying!"

"Where's Kira?" She wasn't here to answer _his_ questions. Her breaths were getting shorter. She wasn't sure if it was out of fear or if she actually wasn't getting enough air. She had to do something fast or she'd lose consciousness.

"Kira?" He kept his hold on her, but stepped back to give her a slight smirk. "You came all the way here to find your _dear _brother? Sorry, girlie, but he's not here. He's probably not even _among_ us anymore." His voice held a certain degree of amusement.

Something inside Cagalli snapped. How _dare_ he say something like that? There was no way Kira had left her alone in the world. She managed to pull her knees close to her chest without Shinn noticing and before he had a chance to make any other crude remarks she summoned the rest of her strength and kicked her feet at him, sending him stumbling back.

Cagalli dropped to the floor and gasped for the much needed air. He quickly regained his balance and lunged at the girl angrily. She called his name in an attempt to reason with him, but saw he was blinded by his own fury. She quickly avoided his charge and slid to the side.

Though she was on her knees, she briskly jumped to her feet and eyed the boy cautiously. A wave of uneasiness rushed passed her as her amber eyes studied him. His eyes seemed glazed; she could no longer tell what he was feeling or thinking. She followed his gaze and gasped. Automatically her right hand patted her right thigh and her fears were confirmed.

Her gun.

The weapon she kept for her own protection was no longer in her possession. She always kept it in case of emergency. She was never forced to use it—and she hadn't even thought about using it in this situation, but it seemed Shinn thought otherwise.

"I-it must have fallen out when—"

"You were _actually _going to use this?"

"No. I only keep it—"

"Shut up." His voice was deadly and Cagalli could do nothing but obey his demand.

"Shinn…" Her voice was quavering slightly.

"Don't you feel like a complete fool now?" He slowly raised the weapon and tossed it from one hand to the other playfully.

She couldn't move. Her mind screamed at her to make any attempt to stop him, but her body was frozen solid. She could only watch as he played with the weapon in his hands.

"Well?"

He was waiting for some sort of response, but the girl gave him nothing. Slightly disappointed, he broke the gaze he was holding with her.

As soon as his attention was diverted, she charged at him, grabbing his right wrist and twisting in an attempt to have him release the weapon. However, he was quick to retaliate as he swung his other arm to knock her down. Dodging the swing, she dropped to the ground and took out his feet, causing him to hit the floor beneath him. Slightly smirking at her victory she jumped back up reached for the weapon that had fallen a foot away from them. Before she could get a hold of it, he had grabbed her feet and she fell face first onto the ground. She braced herself for the fall and struggled to get up. As soon as he saw her attempt, he violently shoved her back onto the ground and leapt towards their prize. Grabbing the gun he turned to face Cagalli who was still on the floor.

A shot rang through the house.


	9. Friend or Foe: Part II

**Meisha:**

Okay, first off: I'm sorry.  
Cliff Hangers are nice every once in a while... but not when they leave you hanging for like a year. That was never my intention, but things just became overwhelming.

I was inspired to update a story of mine when I received a message from a fellow author, asking about my work. It was very sweet. I'm not sure if this is one of the stories you were following, Kkornelia, but it was the easiest to upload since my laptop's been fixed.

Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's get back to the mysteryyyyyy~

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 9**

**Friend or Foe**

**Part II**

* * *

It was as though time had stopped.

One second she was on the floor staring up at Shinn who held the gun with his finger resting on the trigger and the next there was the loud bang. Cagalli couldn't take her eyes off of his frozen stature. He had fired. Smoke was still rising off the gun. His eyes were wide open in shock, as were hers.

But she was unharmed.

The bullet had pierced the wooden floor mere inches away from Cagalli. She managed to look from the bullet hole back to Shinn, who was attempting to get a grip of the last couple of seconds.

He dropped the gun and his hands were trembling. Finally regaining control of her body, Cagalli switched her gaze from him to the girl who had caused, or perhaps, stopped it all. She was now clinging to his waist with tears streaming down her pale face. Moments ago she had jumped towards him, wrapping her arms around him. It had startled him and probably led him to pull the trigger unintentionally, Cagalli reasoned.

"Shinn, please, no more…" her voice was soft and pleading, but enough to break the haunting silence that had dawned upon them all.

Shinn made no response. He fell to his knees, the girl following, her arms still wrapped around him. Her tears continued to fall, but she smiled at him, thankful that he had regained his senses.

"Stellar… I'm… so sorry." He was staring at his hands, as though they were to blame for the entire ordeal. She simply shook her head and rested her head against his shoulder.

That girl had quite possibly just saved Cagalli's life, but Cagalli couldn't bring herself to say anything. She heard a creak on the floor and quickly jerked her head towards the dark corner. She had to do a double take to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

In the corner of the room stood two children, both watching her intently. They were young boys—no older than nine. Behind them Cagalli could see a dozen additional pairs of eyes watching cautiously. The two boys were obviously startled and frightened by the scene that had unfolded before them, but stood protectively in front of the remaining children.

"W-what is this place?"

* * *

Everything happened so quickly. One moment they were fighting for their lives and now they were sitting around a makeshift dining table. Sitting across from Cagalli was Shinn, the one who had tried to kill her. Yet, here they were, sitting like casual, dining hall friends. He avoided eye contact and shifted uneasily under her gaze, but she continued to stare at him. She dropped her gaze when the young blonde girl, who he had called Stellar, returned and placed a cup of coffee in front of Cagalli. She took a seat next to Shinn.

"So… this place is really an _orphanage_?" Cagalli was trying to convince herself of what she was told.

Stellar nodded and Shinn made no comment or motion. "Yes, we decided to open an orphanage for all the abandoned children."

"Abandoned?" she echoed.

Stellar nodded once again before explaining. "I'm sure you are aware of the incident that took place during the summer…"

"The unnatural and unexpected earthquake that destroyed so many homes in Heliopolis," Cagalli finished. "Yes, it was in the news. Orb, Zaft and other nearby cities sent aid as soon as they heard about the tragic event."

Shinn snorted and Cagalli turned to give him a questioning glare.

"According to the media."

The confusion did not leave Cagalli's expression, though she knew what Shinn was implying. She turned her gaze back to the calm, girl sitting next to him.

"Although it is regretful, what Shinn says is the truth. In addition to homes and livestock, families were destroyed. It is true that the other cities sent aid, but they could only do so much. Office buildings and homes that belonged to aristocrats were rebuilt, but those living in the lower quarters were unable to recover fully. Many families living in the slums were torn apart. Many lost their loved ones in the natural disaster and…" she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Some parents could not even support their children and were convinced the best option was to leave them behind and fend for themselves."

Cagalli was speechless. Never had she heard anything remotely similar to the story Stellar had shared.

_Parents abandoning their children?_

"But why would they keep this news from the public?" She couldn't bring herself to think that the government would agree with the actions of the traumatized parents.

"You think other people want to waste their time and money helping people they think are going to end up being a hindrance anyway?" Shinn retorted.

"I…"

"The government in Heliopolis is mostly at fault. They, themselves, would not share this knowledge or ask for help," Stellar commented. "Surely if they had asked for assistance Orb and Zaft would have complied."

"I still can't believe that a city can be so cruel, especially to its own citizens—children," Cagalli said, shaking her head.

"Well, start believing it."

Cagalli ignored his comment and once again turned her attention to Stellar.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but isn't this orphanage too much for you? There must at least be professional organizations willing to care for these children."

"Weren't you listening? The government would much rather pretend everyone in the earthquake died." Shinn clenched his fist and Stellar reluctantly nodded her head.

"It just doesn't make any sense. I'm sure if we explained the situation, better actions would be—" she was cut off as an angry Shinn slammed his palms onto the table and stood up, towering over her.

"No one can know about this place!"

"And why not?" Cagalli demanded, taking a stand herself to be on eye level with him. "What you have done is admirable, but realistically it won't and can't last long!"

"We still have to do what we can!" he argued.

"And what's wrong with asking others for help?"

"Your ignorance never ceases to amaze me!" he yelled. She immediately became defensive, but resisted the urge to shout back and, instead, waited for him to continue. "Do you know what would happen if we asked the government for help?"

She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.

"Shinn, please calm down," Stellar cooed as she gently tugged at his sleeve. She waited for him to take a seat before she continued. "Cagalli, it is imperative that this very orphanage remains hidden. If they were to find out about us they would shut us down… and there would be no place for them." She gestured out to the window where the children were frolicking to their hearts content.

"You're referring to the Heliopolis government, aren't you?" Cagalli questioned, pondering something in her head.

"Yes…" Stellar answered slowly.

"The governments of Orb and Heliopolis are _not _the same."

"They're all corrupt," Shinn intervened. He ignored the glare she shot him.

"If such a case were brought to Orb, they would not think twice before helping these children. I, personally, have attended meetings regarding relief organizations and their skill and determination is excellent and unmatched. Heliopolis would not have a problem if these children, who are considered 'worthless', and their families left, am I correct?"

Stellar nodded and Shinn was, to say the least, surprised at her knowledge of Orb's aid and assistance systems. It didn't take long before his expression switched to distrust and his narrowed at the girl sitting across from him.

"So you're going to tell the Orb government about us?" His clenched his fists tightly.

Cagalli shook her head. "It's not my place. I'm only suggesting what I think would be best. If you choose to follow, I promise I will do my best to ensure the children and their parents are reunited and given a safe place to recover and live. However, I'm not sure if this is the right time to address the issue…" her voice trailed off.

Stellar sensed the discomfort and sadness in Cagalli's voice and turned to look at Shinn questioningly.

"She's right. Currently the situation in Orb is unstable. Not only is there the disappearance of the precious Green Diamond to worry about, one of our highly skilled officers also vanished. Until both cases are solved, Orb is unlikely to get involved in external affairs."

Cagalli was surprised by his appraisal of her brother and stared at him with wide eyes. He held her gaze for an instant, but quickly broke away. A smile tugged at her lips.

They continued the discussion about possible solutions to the current state of Heliopolis and the situation in Orb. Stellar learned that it was Cagalli's brother who had gone missing and she expressed her sorrow and hope that he would soon be found. It wasn't until Shinn stood up and mentioned that it was well past eleven that Cagalli realized they had been here for over four hours.

They said their goodbyes and Stellar made Shinn promise to bring Cagalli back to see her and the children soon. Reluctantly, Shinn obliged as he led Cagalli to the entrance of the cave.

* * *

"Shinn?" Cagalli was sure he heard her, but he made no response. She decided to speak anyway. "I'm sorry."  
He turned to face her. "For what?"

"For accusing you of kidnapping Kira… I was so sure when Athrun and I met Dearka that you _had_ to be the one responsible. I automatically jumped to that conclusion without setting all the facts straight."

"Dearka?"

"Oh, he's one of Athrun's friends—well I think they're friends. Anyway, he said one night he saw a girl running with something in her hands when an officer jumped out and assaulted her. He couldn't describe the girl or the officer, but said that there was a third person who looked like a vampire and knocked out the officer and then him as well…"

"And I'm that vampire?" She couldn't see his face, but knew by his voice that he was amused. She nodded in embarrassment.

"Was it really you, then?"

He seemed to think about the incident for a couple moments, before recollecting.

"Yeah, now I remember. It was late that night and there weren't enough supplies for dinner. Stellar went out into the town without waiting for me to arrive because the children were nagging her for food. But she didn't have enough money. Some creep tried to take advantage of her situation and offered her food, but for 'the right price'." He clenched his jaw as he recalled what happened next. "Stellar's too naïve and she agreed. She had no idea what he meant and before she knew it she was on the run with the loaf of bread, trying to avoid his disgusting, groping hands."

"And that's when you showed up and took care of him," Cagalli finished.

"Stellar deserves so much more respect. It infuriated me and I took him out."

"And Dearka," she reminded.

"How was I supposed to know who he was? Creeping around in the shadows like that…"

Cagalli shook her head, but said nothing. She decided against commenting on how he tended to do crazy things when he was filled with rage. She didn't want him to turn against her while they were in a dark, damp cave.

"And I guess all that stuff you were buying was to fix up the orphanage, wasn't it?" He didn't answer her, but she knew she had hit the target.

"Cagalli?" It was the first time he had said her name and she was too surprised to say anything so he went ahead and mumbled the next part. "um… thanks."

Now she was confused. They had just exited the cave and the rushing water could once again be seen below.

"You're welcome…?" she said uneasily.

"For keeping the orphanage a secret." She nodded when he clarified. He then turned to look at her. His ruby eyes met her golden ones. "You're not going to tell anyone at the station about this are you?" It was a question, not a demand and she couldn't help but smile.

"Of course not."

He smiled at her. Not a sadistic, twisted, smirk, but a genuine smile and she felt her cheeks blush slightly.

"Well, we better get out of here," she said, avoiding his curious gaze.

"Yeah. Here, you climb up first. And be careful. If you fall… well, I'm not diving in after you."

"Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically as she climbed up.

It was much quicker leaving the forest compared to when she was stalking him. The two were able to have a pleasant conversation, with a couple of laughs here and there. They finally made it back to the station where the others were anxiously awaiting their arrival.

* * *

"Where have you guys been? We were so worried!" Luna cried as they approached the group. "I tried calling you, but the call wouldn't go through."

"I dropped my phone in the lake," Shinn replied casually.

Cagalli looked at him in disbelief. Did he really think that was going to work?  
"Again?" Luna cried.

Well, apparently it was.

"What about you, Cagalli?"

She was caught off guard as she glanced from the group to Shinn, hoping an idea would dawn on her.

"I threw hers in the lake out of frustration too," Shinn said, scratching the back of his head.

Cagalli had to keep her jaw from dropping. He was _terrible_ at making up excuses. Athrun looked at her curiously, and she gave him a lopsided smile, but she could tell he knew something was up.

The whistle blew and everyone once again split up into their designated groups to board the train. Before walking away Shinn turned to look at Cagalli and Athrun.

"Hey Athrun," he started, looking from her golden eyes to his emerald ones. "I take back what I said about Cagalli."

She opened her mouth to question him, but he had already disappeared into the crowd of people that had gathered to board the train. Cagalli then glanced at Athrun, hoping he would share the story, but he only smiled at her and grabbed her hand before leading her to their seats.

* * *

"So how was your _date _with Luna?" Cagalli teased. She laughed when she saw his eye twitch slightly.

He turned to face her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She stopped laughing when she saw the seriousness in his face.

"Cagalli, please _never_ leave me with her again." He spoke with such a serious expression that she had expected something pivotal to come from his lips. She stared into his eyes for a couple moments before bursting out into laughter. He gave her a puzzled look.

"You're crazy," she commented.

"_She's_ crazy," he whispered, cautiously looking to see if she was within earshot.

"Yeah, about _you_."

Athrun's expression didn't change. He really was oblivious to her feelings and Cagalli couldn't help but laugh again. Suddenly her foot brushed against the seat and she winced. She hoped Athrun hadn't noticed.

"What happened?" He was looking directly at her foot.

_Well, so much for him not noticing._

"Ah, I scraped it earlier…" her voice trailed off. She had promised Shinn she wouldn't tell anyone, but she and Athrun had also made a promise not to keep things from each other.

He noticed her internal struggle and gently patted her on the head. She turned to look up at him with curious eyes.

"So I'm guessing you had a chance to talk everything over with Shinn?"

She wasn't too surprised that he had figured it out. The two of them had been walking back together, and neither looked like they were ready to kill. She nodded and half smiled. She wanted to share what she had discovered, but she couldn't.

She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off.

"It's fine, you can tell me when the time is right," he said reassuringly. She smiled thankfully at him before nodding and turning to the window.

There wasn't much scenery, but eventually her eyelids began drooping. She leaned back on her chair, but found it rather uncomfortable. She squirmed in her seat before finally deciding the window was the best place to rest her head and closed her eyes. All the while, he was watching her curiously.

The train slightly jerked and her head slammed into the window. She winced in pain and jolted up in her seat, glaring at the window. Athrun chuckled and she turned to glare at him.

"It's not funny," she pouted.

He said nothing, but reached his hand around her and placed her head on his shoulder.

"I- I can't sleep like this," she argued, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

He simply hushed her as he began silently reading the book he brought along with him and she fell silent. Initially, she fidgeted awkwardly, but in a matter of minutes her breathing became rhythmic. He continued reading until she unconsciously wrapped her arms around his and snuggled into him. He smiled at her cute and innocent attempt to become more comfortable.

* * *

**Meisha:**

It's been a while since I've seen GS so I hope everyone is more or less in character.  
As much as I love this story, I need to focus on other things. But since this chapter was more or less complete I decided to update.  
Hope it was worth it =)


	10. Discrepancies

Thanks to all of you who have read or are continuing to read this story. Took me a while to figure out where I'm going with it, but I think I have a pretty good idea. Let's just see how it all plays out ;)

* * *

Recap:

_"I- I can't sleep like this," she argued, a slight blush tinting her cheeks._

_He simply hushed her as he began silently reading the book he brought along with him and she fell silent. Initially, she fidgeted awkwardly, but in a matter of minutes her breathing became rhythmic. He continued reading until she unconsciously wrapped her arms around his and snuggled into him. He smiled at her cute and innocent attempt to become more comfortable._

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 10**

**Discrepancies **

* * *

Cagalli felt something tickle her ear. With her eyes closed, she shook her head in an attempt to get rid of the pest. For a moment she was at peace, but the sensation returned. Acting on reflexes, she swatted at the bug.

The bug grunted.

It was a weird bug. It had soft, warm skin.

_Wait, grunted? _

Cagalli's eyes shot open and she immediately turned to see what she had hit. Staring down at her were a pair of shocked, green eyes. She had smacked Athrun? Her hand still lingered on his cheek and it took her a moment to quickly pull it back to her side as she sat straight up and fumbled for words.

He was glaring at her.

She couldn't really blame him since she had been responsible for the pinkish glow now radiating off his right cheek. Of course, being who she was, she wasn't about to admit it was her fault.

"You're the one who startled me. I was just acting in self defense," she reasoned as she shrugged her shoulders.

He looked at her disbelievingly. She was _really_ trying to turn this against him. Before he had a chance to remark, she cut him off, asking why he had tried to wake her up in such an odd fashion.

"You could have just called my name, you know."

"I did. I even tried nudging you, but it seems that once your head hits a pillow you sleep like a log."

"What are you talking about?" She snapped. First, he had referred to her as a 'log' and secondly, there was no pillow.

In response he simply shifted his gaze from the girl to his shoulder and then lower to his arm. She mirrored his eyes with her own and immediately felt her face warm up when she saw her right arm wrapped around his left one. Quickly, she retracted her arm and looked down in an attempt to use her bangs to hide the blush on her cheeks. He laughed politely.

"Sorry. I tend to move around a lot when I sleep…" She continued to look down while apologizing.

"It's fine," he assured. "Though your head is pretty heavy."

"Heavy?" She repeated, her embarrassment all but forgotten.

He decided to change the subject.

"So, while you were enjoying your cat nap, I thought about your encounter with Shinn." She looked at him anxiously, but he shook his head. "Just hear my conjecture; you don't have to say anything." When she nodded, he continued. "After we talked at the station this morning, I was under the impression he was hiding something—but it didn't seem related to Kira. After we saw that he left Lunamaria in the middle of their mission, I figured his behavior had something to do with Heliopolis and the girl Dearka saw that one night. I'm not sure how farfetched I am, but I think Shinn made those strange purchases to help that girl fix her home in the city. For some reason he feels it needs to kept a secret." He turned to look at his companion. "And judging by your expression, I'd say I'm right."

Cagalli was taken aback, and her wide eyes were enough to prove it. _How on earth had he come to that conclusion? No wonder he was considered the top detective. _She didn't know what to say.

"You forgot the part where he attacked me!" she blurted.

Athrun narrowed his eyes at her.

_Damn_

"I-I mean, we had a falling out. Since I accused him of kidnapping Kira and all. We had an argument, but I held my ground… more or less," she clarified, hoping Athrun wouldn't question the topic further. She really needed to learn to keep her big mouth shut.

"Maybe that's why he took back what he said about you," he said with a grin.

Now Cagalli was interested. "What _did _he say about me?"

Athrun paused. But she was not about to take no for an answer. He sighed in defeat.

"That you didn't belong to the ORB police force and you were only worried about Kira because he was your ticket in." He watched her carefully, watching as her expression gradually changed.

"I'm going to shoot him!" She yelled, standing up and catching the attention of several passengers.

Athrun pulled her right back down. "Cagalli, don't say things like that!" he cautioned. "Besides I already put him in his place."

Cagalli's eyes widened. "That's why you gave him a bloody lip?"

"Well, not entirely. He said some other things…" He drifted in his thoughts. She narrowed her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. If I told you, there's no way I'd be able to stop you from pummeling him."

Cagalli's glare was replaced with a mischievous grin. "Yeah, probably not."

Her smirk made him shudder. He was afraid of what an angry Cagalli was capable of. He turned to see that passengers were gathering their belongings and exiting the train.

"Well, we better report back to the Chief."

With a nod, Cagalli followed.

/ / / /

"I hope your investigation in Heliopolis was helpful," the chief said as he took a seat at his desk. "I would like to hear about each of your encounters, but first I would like to share something with all of you."

"As you are aware, I had Rey remain in Orb with me." He paused uneasily. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Rey, would you please reiterate everything that we have learned as of this morning?"

Rey nodded before reaching for the report on the table and turning to address his colleagues.

"Kira Hibiki and Athrun Zala were assigned to solve the mystery of 'The Green Diamond', Orb's most valued gem. Monday morning Cagalli Hibiki awoke to find a note on Kira Hibiki's bed along with the window open. The note stated that he had returned home late the previous night but chose not to wake her. He had, apparently, come across valuable information in Heliopolis regarding his investigation and decided it best to continue the search that same night and left with the car, saying he would be in touch with his sister. It appeared that he had been doing his investigation individually, but all the while his whereabouts were known by his partner, Athrun Zala, through a tracking device.

"The same night the note was found the tracking device that Kira Hibiki always kept with him was dismantled. Kira Hibiki was then reported MIA. A thorough search through Kira Hibiki's room revealed an _Ace of Spade_ playing card. Upon exposure to UV light, the glass case holding the 'Green Diamond" revealed the imprint of an _Ace of Clovers_. From this the connection between the two cases was drawn.

"Following the lead given by Kira Hibiki, an investigation in Heliopolis was organized for the next day. Before the trip, a hard copy card with the _Ace of Clovers_ was found in the police station. Not only does this reaffirm the connection of these two cases, but also the possibility that the culprit is not only clever but has his own set of connections." Rey finished and turned to the Chief.

Before Durandal had a chance to make his statement, Lacus had intervened.

"Sir, if I may?" She continued when she received an approval. "From Rey's reports we can determine that Kira left the home with his vehicle, but we have not done a search for his car."

At once what Lacus had shared struck Cagalli. It was something so obvious. He had obviously gone somewhere with the car, yet they had not even looked for it. If they could locate it, they could be that much closer to finding her brother. She waited for the chief's response.

"You are very correct, Lacus. As a matter of fact, I had Rey investigate the location of his car. Finding the car would have been a crucial point in solving this mystery, but alas, it was not successful."

"But don't all cars have some sort of GPS locator?" Luna asked, receiving a nod from Shinn.

"Even though his car's not brand new, it's not ridiculously old either," Cagalli added.

"I understand what you both are saying, but according to the company the locating device was removed from the vehicle."

Cagalli let out a frustrated sigh. Of course it had been removed, just like the one he had on him.

"Is it possible to reactivate it from a different location?" It was the first time that Athrun had spoken during the meeting.

"If we had a hacker," Shinn proposed.

"Yes, we have some agents working on that as we speak. But until they are done, I cannot say for certain. For now it is best to work with the information we have gathered from Heliopolis." He turned his attention to Shinn and Lunamaria, expecting them to begin.

Shinn was momentarily caught off guard, but recovered. "We only came across a man with speculation. He said he heard a rumor that the thief didn't want as much attention as he was getting." He turned to his partner.

"I have his name here," Luna shuffled through her bag in search of the booklet that had the information she had gathered. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she pulled it out and flipped through some pages. "Ah, his name was Sai Argyl. He said he was a tourist and was shocked when he heard about the disappearance of the 'Green Diamond'. He wanted to see it with his own eyes, or so he said."

"Then why was he in Heliopolis?"

They turned to see a skeptical looking Lacus. Shinn was at a loss for words. Neither he nor Luna had thought of that.

"The 'Green Diamond' was located in Orb's museum, not Heliopolis. Why was he touring Heliopolis? Why was he openly sharing such views with complete strangers? Where was he from?" Lacus was clear in her distrust.

"We… don't know where he's from…" Shinn admitted, regretfully.

"But we do have his contact information. I'm sure he'll be willing to come in and share his story with us. Won't it be better to hear from him directly?" Luna looked at the others, hoping they would agree.

"Yes, I think it would be best if we met with him in person," Lacus nodded, turning her attention from the girl to the chief. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he broke the gaze and cleared his throat.

"Is there any other information that you may have gathered that it worth sharing?" Durandal asked, scanning the room.

"I spoke with several civilians, but only one had information regarding robbery. It did not relate to Orb, though. If necessary, we can contact him." She handed the chief his business card. He nodded in approval, but did not make eye contact with her.

Cagalli glanced at Athrun with slight confusion, but he could give her no response. Something was going on between the two of them.

"Auel Neider?" He read the voice aloud.

"Yes. He spoke to me about some recent thefts from local shops during the nights in Heliopolis. Items included basic house necessities and—"

"That has nothing to do with the 'Green Diamond'." Shinn cut her off.

Lacus paused at the interruption, but made no comment. The others looked on surprised.

"Shinn, I have been meaning to ask you something as well," Shinn turned his attention to Rey. "For the past few days you have been spending less time around the apartment."

Shinn and Rey had been roommates for the past couple of years. Living in Orb wasn't cheap, and since the two were early childhood friends they had decided to share an apartment.

"So I have a social life," he shrugged.

"In Heliopolis?"

Shinn froze. Unknowingly, Cagalli held her breath. She glanced at Athrun to see him listening intently.

Shinn said nothing.

"I happened to be looking through drawers for some personal belongings the other day and I noticed _many_ train tickets to Heliopolis. They were all scheduled for past midnight. Some dates were before the 'Green Diamond' went missing and others were after." Shinn still said nothing. Rey turned to his partner. "Lunamaria, was Shinn with you in Heliopolis?"

Luna hesitated, glancing at Shinn cautiously. She wasn't sure how to answer. Shinn had disappeared sometime during their trip, but he had returned. So it was all good, right?

"Lunamaria." His voice was bitter and demanding.

"Y-yes, he was with me."

"The entire time?"

There was a deep, tense silence. It was enough to answer his question.

"Shinn, what—" the chief was quickly cut off.

An interruption at this stage was uncalled for, but the officers were more shocked by who had intervened.

"I'm tired of this, Shinn. I planned to keep it a secret, but this is too much."

Shinn's eyes grew to twice their size as they locked onto the amber eyes across from him. Everyone switched their gaze to Cagalli.

"Shinn was visiting a friend in Heliopolis—a girl friend to be exact." At this statement Shinn had made an attempt to grab the girl.

A look of dismay crossed her when she saw him lunge at her, but Athrun and Rey had quickly stepped in front, stopping him from reaching her. They struggled, but Shinn was easily overpowered. Once Athrun had gained control, Rey released his hold on the officer.

"Get off of me, you jerk. Shut that stupid girl up. She has no idea what she's talking about." He glared at her, but she seemed unfazed.

"Anyway," she turned her attention back to the chief. "She's more like his sister, I suppose. 'Adopted sister', because she's the polar opposite of him. How she can even stand him is beyond me."

"Shut up, you traitor!"

"I don't remember how they met, but she's ill." At once Athrun noticed the change in Shinn's behavior. He was not struggling anymore. "Basically, she's alone and has no financial support. But she's a talented dancer." Shinn's eyes widened. "She's not professional or anything, but she has potential. Anyway, Shinn took it upon himself to help this girl through her struggles."

She glanced at the boy with soft eyes. It didn't go unnoticed by Athrun. Shinn said nothing, but his look quickly turned to a glare.

"I said shut up." It was more quite this time, but he still hadn't given up. Athrun released Shinn, realizing he had returned to his calmer stature.

"Athrun and I had suspected Shinn as well. We spoke to a friend of Athrun's and learned about his frequent visits to Heliopolis, which only added to our suspicion." Athrun nodded in agreement. "We were going to question him ourselves after we had regrouped, but Luna had found us by this time. She was unaccompanied by Shinn. Athrun and Luna had gone off to complete the investigation, and I remained with a friend in Heliopolis." She remembered how she had spoken to Flay for hours that evening.

"It was then that I saw Shinn and decided to follow him. He was buying flowers. I stayed hidden, following his every step until I came upon the house. I peeked in through the window and saw her teaching him how to dance." Athrun glanced at Shinn to see a confused glare on his face. It was a sight to see. "Shinn caught me and threatened to hurt me if I told anyone." She was finished with her tale and turned to look at Shinn apologetically. "I'm sorry, I know—"

"Shut up. I knew I could never trust you." He refused to make eye contact with her.

She turned to the chief once again.

"I'm not one to break a promise, but this has gone on too long. It's a waste of time to interrogate someone who has nothing to do with the problem at hand." She glanced at the floor before continuing. "I just want to find Kira."

"Thank you, Cagalli. This has cleared up a big misconception." He studied Shinn carefully. Durandal seemed to ponder this suspicious tale.

"Sir, when the rest of us were at the train station waiting Shinn and Cagalli returned together." Luna was attempting to persuade him as well.

He nodded.

"All right. Before we were sidetracked with Shinn's dancing lessons, you were telling us about the man you met on the bus. Could you please continue with what he shared?"

It took a moment for Luna to realize she was being addressed. She flipped through the pages of her book once again.

"Um, he said he heard that the person who had stolen the 'Green Diamond' had accomplices and that they had fled to Zaft, but the police there were onto them. So they disposed of it."

"Z-zaft?" Lacus quickly regained her composure. "Disposed of it?"

Luna nodded.

"I have a hard time believing that anyone who had obtained the gem would simply throw it away." Lacus turned to glance at the chief once again.

"That is not the issue. The fact is the jewel may now be in Zaft. In my opinion it would be best to conduct an investigation there." Rey looked at the chief for approval.

"Yes, we should go to Zaft, but rushing there is not the best course of action. Again, it is late so the investigation will continue tomorrow morning." He glanced at Cagalli as though he were expecting her to disagree with him. To his surprise she remained silent. "For now, each of you should file a report on your events in Heliopolis. I would like each of you to submit the report before you leave tonight so that I will be able to review them before the mission begins in Zaft tomorrow morning."

Durandal's silence was a dismissal for the others as they divided and moved to their respective offices. Remaining in the room were Rey and Lacus.

"I would like to speak to the chief privately." She didn't once take her eyes off the dark haired man.

Rey opened his mouth to protest, but Durandal waved his hand. Without another word Rey brushed passed her and left the room.

"Is there something troubling you, Officer Clyne?"

"What is it you're trying to do?" Her question was direct.

"I'm not quite sure I understand."

"Misinforming your team by sending an undercover member to Heliopolis? Going behind your teams' back?" Not once did her gaze waver. When she still did not receive a response she continued. "Do you honestly expect anyone to believe that the Green Diamond was disposable, regardless of the situation?"

"My, Lacus, this is quite a web of ideas you have woven."

"Rey was in Heliopolis. You sent him to do something."

"Oh? Perhaps he finished his work early and ran a few errands. I can't be sure of what all my officers do, Lacus."

Lacus narrowed her eyes. "Are you attempting to drop the Green Diamond case?"

Durandal didn't answer, but turned his head to look over his desk and out the window. "I felt you would best support such a proposal. After all," he paused and looked directly into her eyes. "Our most critical mission now is to find Kira, is it not?"

Lacus took a step back and opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.

"Well, officer Clyne, it has certainly gotten late. You best head home to prepare for the mission tomorrow. If there are any new discoveries I will be sure to personally inform you. Good night." He turned his back to the young officer and waited until her footsteps disappeared.

Leaning back in his chair, Durandal let out a deep sigh as a new pair of footsteps reached his ear.

"Sir?"

"Ah, Rey. I should have known that you would not have left."

"Does she know?" Durandal answered with a shake of his head.

"No, but she is very perceptive. I believe this encounter may have worked in our favor. Lacus is convinced that Kira's rescue is of higher priority than the Green Diamond. We already know where Cagalli stands on the matter. With their attention focused on Kira and the right amount of time, the matter of the Green Diamond may gradually fade." Rey nodded his head, though he seemed to clench his jaw. "Is there something wrong?"

"I don't mean to question your judgment, sir, but I can't help but feel this isn't right."

Durandal let out another sigh as he reclined in his chair. "I've gone back and forth on this decision as well. But after receiving a threat such as this," Durandal said, opening a drawer on his desk and unfolding a piece of paper, "I'm not sure what choice we have. And weighing our options, securing a human life greatly outweighs retrieving a material good, wouldn't you agree?" Durandal refolded the paper and placed it back in the drawer before locking it.

"But the mone—"

Durandal snapped his head up and slammed his fist on the table. "You are not to mention that!"

Rey's eyes widened and he immediately apologized. "I-it won't happen again."

Durandal rubbed his temple with his free hand. "I'm sorry, that was not appropriate. It has been a long day, Rey. You should retire as well. We will pick up with our search for Kira tomorrow.

Rey nodded solemnly before leaving the office

/ / / /

Cagalli let out a sigh as she glanced out the window.

"Everything ok?" She turned her attention to her temporary chauffer and forced a smile.

"Yeah, it's all good."

"You know, you handled yourself well in there today."

"You mean about Shinn? No big deal. I really was just tired of us going around in circles. We both know Shinn had nothing to do with it," she reasoned.

"But dance lessons?" Cagalli grinned mischievously.

"He deserved that, Athrun."

"You should have seen the look of dismay that crossed his face when you said that," he said with a chuckle as he turned to face his companion.

"I'm actually surprised it didn't make him any more upset. I thought for sure he was going to slit my throat when I first started talking," Cagalli admitted, biting her lower lip.

"I wouldn't have let that happen," Athrun commented off handedly.

Their eyes locked before Athrun suddenly pulled away and looked at the road ahead. Cagalli felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"We're here," he replied lamely as they pulled into the Hibiki driveway.

"Well, thanks, Mr. Chauffer," she joked as she unbuckled her seatbelt. She stopped when she felt a warm hand on top of her. She jerked her head up and looked at Athrun questioningly.

"You can't leave before you pay this poor taxi driver," he said shrewdly.

Cagalli let out a small laugh. "That's unfortunate because I don't have any cash with me. Seems like you got jipped. You should really pick your clients better," she chided.

She held in another laugh when she saw him pout.

"But you know?" she added slyly as she leaned closer to his seat. He tensed in his seat, but made no motion to move away. "I could give you something else," she added as moved even closer.

"Oh?"

Before she could continue, a loud ring startled both of them. Cagalli near fell forward, but quickly regained her composer as she glared at her cell phone. She heard Athrun mutter something under his breath, but she was paying too much attention to the unknown number that displaced across her screen. She clicked it off before turning her attention to her chauffer.

"Well, it's late so you should probably get home. See you tomorrow morning?" Athrun nodded in agreement. "Thanks again for the ride."

"Anytime, Cags." Cagalli shuddered at the nickname. "You don't like that?" he seemed surprised.

"I can't stand it," she declared.

"But I thought it was an endearing name that Kira called you?" Athurn asked, still surprised.

"Yeah right," Cagalli said sarcastically. "Whenever Kira used to call me that I'd twist his wrist till he took it back. I was tempted to even shred that note he left me when I read that nickname," she admitted. Athrun furrowed his brow and Cagalli let out a small laugh. "But I guess it's a good thing I didn't."

Athrun nodded, though he seemed a bit confused. He didn't snap out of his thoughts until Cagalli had opened her front door and waved at him. He returned the gesture before pulling out of her driveway.

"If what she had said was true, then why would Kira have…" Athrun shook his head, convinced the late night was messing with his thoughts.

/ / / /

As Cagalli entered the house she tossed her belongings onto the kitchen table. The blinking light from her cell caught her attention and she realized that the unknown caller had left her a message. Initially, she had thought it was a wrong number, but it was rare for those callers to leave messages once they heard the voicemail system. She shrugged away the thought before listening to the message.

"Hey Cagalli, it's Shinn." There was an awkward pause in the message. "Um, I got your number from the database. I mean, I didn't stalk you or your information of anything." Another awkward pause. "Uh, what I wanted to say was, uh, thanks. For today. You know. For the—just thanks. Oh, and we'll find Kira. I'm sure of it. See you tomorrow."

By the time she had hung up, Cagalli was smiling once again. Yes, she knew they would find Kira. It was just a matter of time.

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Review if you have a chance, please.


	11. Amnesia

**Meisha:** Wow, this chapter turned out much longer than I first expected it to. But honestly, I want to try and finish up this story. It's been dragging on wayyyyy too long. And for those of you who have been patient in following the story, I truly commend you.  
As I said in the previous chapter, I know where I want the story to go—it's just actually getting there. I'd like to be able to update again soon, but I'm not sure if that's really a possibility with school starting. But let's keep our fingers crossed!

Edit: I completely forgot to thank all you who read the last chapter. Special thanks to: Kkornelia, Drair, Ting Ting, Lilith, trulyanimelover06 and my guest readers :)

* * *

**The Heart's Diamond**

**Chapter 11**

**Amnesia**

* * *

Cagalli pushed open the doors of the police station, ready for the day ahead. Athrun and Chief Durandal turned to acknowledge her entrance. She glanced around and noticed that they were the only three present. Noting her questioning gaze, Durandal turned his full attention to her.

"Detective Clyne has already left for Zaft. You and Detective Zala are to follow suit. The remaining officers have some work to finish up here before aiding in your search."

Cagalli nodded, but the questioning glance didn't quite leave her features.

"Why did Lacus—"

"I received a report from local authorities in Zaft that there has been unrest lately. Detective Clyne offered to leave early and investigate whether these incidents are related to Kira's disappearance. By the time that the two of your reach Zaft, we hope that she will have come to some sort of conclusion."

"Couldn't it be related to the Green Diamond too, then?" Cagalli offered.

Durandal took in a deep breath. "Ah, that is exactly what Detective Zala and I were discussing before you arrived." Cagalli shifted her eyes from the chief to her partner before settling her gaze back on Durandal.

"And?"

"At this time, we are refocusing our efforts solely on the retrieval of Kira Yamato."

There was a moment of thick silence.

"Meaning we're dropping the Green Diamond case?" Cagalli restated in shock.

"Detective Athha, I felt _you _of all people would understand the importance of rescuing an MIA officer."

"Of course I care about finding Kira, but just forgetting about the Green Diamond? That's ORB's most prized possession! If word gets out that we are just abandoning it—"

"The public won't be made aware of the details."

Athrun narrowed his eyes and Cagalli stood still, unsure of how to proceed. "Are you expecting the people to just _forget _about the whole incident then?" she replied in disbelief.

"Let's take a step back and think about the whole situation. We know for a fact that the person who stole the Green Diamond is the same one who managed to subdue and kidnap an elite officer. I don't have to tell you that this is a dangerous person we are dealing with." Cagalli nodded slowly. "If we continue to search for Detective Yamato and the jewel, we will inevitably be dividing our resources and thus reduce our chance of finding either. It will be better to redirect our attention to the most important task and that is to find Detective Yamato."

"What about after we find Kira?" Cagalli questioned.

Durandal pursed his lips together in a thin line and paused before answering. Athrun watched him carefully.

"Once we find Detective Yamato, he will more than likely be able to tell us who the culprit is. It should be no problem finding the Green Diamond after that," Durandal explained, taking a seat at his desk and resting his head in the palm of his hand.

"In all honesty, sir, I think we have enough people to handle both cases. Don't get me wrong, Of course I'm worried about Kira and getting him back safe and sound is the first priority, but we shouldn't just give up on finding the Green Diamond," Cagalli shared, looking to Athrun for support. "At least I don't think we're being less efficient."

Athrun remained silent, but his gaze locked with Cagalli's. Durandal stroked his chin as he glanced at the drawer of his desk.

"Detective Clyne was in agreement with my decision."

Cagalli's jaw nearly dropped and she once again turned her attention to Athrun. Though his expression was much more subtle, she could tell he was somewhat surprised by the news as well.

"Let me think about what you have said, Detective Athha. For now, please leave for Zaft with Detective Zala. After your initial findings we will reconvene and determine how to proceed."

Cagalli could only nod in agreement and turned to follow Athrun as he walked past her to the exit. Both were silent as they approached the car they would be borrowing. Only when they were on the highway did Cagalli finally speak.

"Why would Lacus agree with the chief's decision?" When Athrun didn't respond, she continued pondering aloud. "I know she's just as worried about Kira as I am, but I thought my reasoning had some logic."

"It did," he agreed.

Cagalli placed her hands on top of her head as she leaned back in the passenger's seat. "I guess we'll just have to ask her when we get there." She saw Athrun nod from the corner of her eye. "Why are you so quiet today?" she asked.

Athrun let out a frustrated sigh in response to which Cagalli raised an eyebrow.

"Is everything ok?"

"Kind of—well not really," he corrected.

"Athrun," he turned to see her staring at him intently. "We promised to tell each other everything. What's bothering you?"

Athrun let out another sigh as he turned his attention back to the road. "It's nothing really." To this, Cagalli gave him a disbelieving glance. "The chief is acting a little… suspicious."

"How so?" Cagalli asked, suddenly very interested.

"I can't really say and I honestly don't have any reason to doubt his sincerity," he began. "It's just that what you said back in the department was the most reasonable course of action. The disappearance of Kira and the Green Diamond are connected and dismissing one case for the other seems…"

"Stupid," Cagalli filled in.

Athrun nodded halfheartedly at her word choice.

"So the chief's having some sort of internal conflict?"

"Or a conflict of interest," he suggested.

"You think he's being blackmailed?" Cagalli rephrased.

"It's possible. Durandal didn't seem convinced himself that his decision was the best course of action."

Cagalli nodded in understanding before offering another point. "Do you think Lacus was somehow dragged into it as well?"

"I think it's best if we wait to ask her what she thinks of all this." Cagalli nodded in agreement and fell silent.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

"I'm Detective Lacus Clyne with the ORB Police—"

"I _know_ who you are."

"I know, Flay," Lacus nodded. "But it's protocol."

"What do you want?" she snapped, sending a glare to the officer.

Lacus appeared unfazed. "It's about Kira."

Flay's eyes widened slightly before she resumed her hard expression. "What about him?"

"He's missing." Lacus noticed Flay take in a sharp breath.

"W-well, I haven't spoken to him in like two weeks. I have no idea where he would be. But he's a cop, so why is it such a big deal?" Flay retorted.

"Two weeks?" Lacus repeated, slightly skeptical.

Flay let out a sardonic laugh. "Are you trying to say that I kidnapped Kira or something? Look, we both know that I don't like you and you probably hate my guts too, but I'm okay with your relationship with him. Just because I'm his ex, doesn't mean I'm out to ruin his life."

Lacus shook her head. "No, of course not, I didn't mean to imply that."

Flay simply shrugged her shoulders before lowering her gaze. "But, Kira is really missing?" Lacus nodded her head solemnly. "I'm sure you're doing everything you can to find him and you probably don't want to hear this…" Flay paused, "but I'm worried about him too. If you hear anything please let me know," Flay looked right at Lacus in an attempt to convince her of her honesty. Lacus paused a moment before nodding in acceptance.

"Flay?" The two girls turned their attention to a third companion who jogged up to them. "You said you wouldn't get here until later in the afternoon," he reminded, glancing at the watch on his wrist.

"Eh, I got bored at home. And I'm actualy a little anxious about today," she admitted.

"You'll do fine," he said with a nod before looking at Lacus. At once his expression hardened. "Detective Clyne."

"Hello Yzak. I'm glad to see that you're doing well."

"Likewise."

"Damn. And I thought you and I had some bad blood between us," Flay directed at Lacus. "Seems you and the ORB Police force still have issues with Yzak."

"That's not—"

"Because your current chief is a conniving crook who won't listen to both sides of a story and only thinks about himself," Yzak finished intractably.

Lacus narrowed her eyes, about to counter his statement, but Flay intervened.

"Well whatever, it's over. No need to get riled up about something in the past, right?" Neither of her companions said a word. "Anyway, I still have to get ready, so let's go Yzak," she grabbed onto his upper arm in an attempt to usher him away. "Oh, and Lacus, do keep me in the loop about Kira."

"Yamato?" Yzak nearly growled in a low voice to which Flay just nodded.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

"Lacus isn't picking up her cell," Cagalli replied "Maybe she's already checked in at the Zaft Police Department," she offered.

"Yeah, that's probably the best place to start."

As they approached the building, a security guard halted them. Holding up their badges, Athrun and Cagalli were granted access to the building.

"Detectives Zala and Athha, our Police Chief is expecting you. Please proceed to room 207A." They nodded before taking the elevator to the designated conference room.

"Please come in detectives," a voice from within invited just as Athrun knocked on the door. Cagalli was surprised to see a fairly young woman standing inside. She forced a smile. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, though in all honesty I wish we could have avoided this meeting all together." Athrun nodded in sympathy as Cagalli took a seat across from the woman. "I am the Zaft Police Chief: Talia Gladys. I'm already familiar with the two of you. Chief Durandal of ORB speaks highly of your work."

Athrun thanked her with a nod of his head.

"Not to be rude or jump ahead, Chief Gladys, but we were told that Zaft had some new information to share that could be relevant to the Green Diamond and an officer's disappearance?" Cagalli pressed politely.

Talia nodded solemnly and waited a moment to speak. "Yes, first I would like to show you something." She reached within her drawer and withdrew a small device. "This is one of Zaft's enhanced, innovative technologies. In simple terms, it can hack into the radio server of any station."

Athrun raised an eyebrow and Cagali stared at the small instrument.

"That's an infringement of—"

"Yes, we are aware of the rights such a device would violate, but it has been a crucial integration since the rate of crime has increased in our area. You may not believe me when I say it, but our only intention was to use this for criminal justice."

"It sounds as though you've discovered some important information using this new technology," Athrun said.

"Yes," Talia paused again, as though calculating something in her head. "For the past week, we have been listening in on a certain station. The people running it were certainly guile and avoided our notice until we implemented this new device. "

"And what did you learn?" Cagalli asked.

"The people who derived this radio server are part of an illegal group that has remained underground for decades. And they're about to make a big move. According to their transmissions, they're making a tradeoff tonight."

"What are they transporting?"

Talia shook her head. "We couldn't intercept and figure that out."

"It could very well be the Green Diamond, couldn't it?" Cagalli questioned, turning to Athrun who nodded in response.

"Thank you for the information. We'll take it into account during our activity in Zaft," Athrun responded, standing up from his seat.

"There's more." Both detectives paused and turned their attention to Talia, who seemed uncertain. "We were able to obtain an address where we strongly believe the event will be taking place."

Cagalli's eyes widened. "That makes things much easier for us," she nearly exclaimed.

Talia nodded as she scribbled something on a notepad and tore the page, handing it to Cagalli.

"Chief Gladys," she looked to the male detective. "Has Detective Lacus Clyne come into see you?" Talia's eyes widened.

"N-no, she has not. Is she currently assigned to the task in Zaft as well?" Athrun nodded in confirmation. "I see. Well, if she reports in I will let her know that you were searching for her."

After exchanging a few more words, Athrun and Cagalli took their leave. Talia immediately reached for her phone and dialed an all too familiar number. There was an answer after two rings.

"Cut the pleasantries," Talia snapped "Why didn't you inform me that Lacus Clyne would be conducting her work in Zaft? If and when she arrives at our Police Department, she will recognize me from the restaurant in Heliopolis. Your entire plan is surreptitious; it won't last and you'll lose the trust of all those around you, even if you think what you're doing is right."

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

"Wow, you can already sense the change in atmosphere after we crossed that bridge," Cagalli noted, scanning the surroundings from her window. "That must be the building. The area is just way too banal. I mean, carrying out an illegal operation in such a shady location is basically setting the stage for a movie," she added, staring off at a large, decrepit structure.

"We should probably leave the car here and investigate on foot. It will be more stealthy and effective, especially if there is some sort of suspicious activity going on," Athrun advised.

Cagalli nodded. "I left Lacus a voicemail with the address," she fell silent as she closed the door and approached Athrun. "Do you think Kira will be here?"

"If he is, we'll find him," Athrun replied. "And if he's not, we'll find out where he is and then find him," he added in equal confidence.

Cagalli gave him a small smile as she tried to calm her racing heart. The beep of her phone diverted her attention momentarily.

"It's a text from Lacus," she flipped open her phone and read the message." Lacus is on the other side of town. She said she'll be here as soon as she can. It'll be dark soon too."

"We should wait for her before proceeding in. It'll be safer," Athrun stated.

Cagalli let out a sigh of agreement.

"Hey now," Athrun said with a slight smirk. "Hanging out with me can't be _that _bad."

"Oh really?" she asked. "I can think of a couple other things I'd rather be doing," she added playfully.

"Man Cagalli, you sure know how to make a guy feel special," he replied sarcastically.

Cagalli grinned mischievously. "Well, it's not like you guys play fair either." Athrun glanced at her, waiting for her to continue. "I mean, you'll say anything to impress a girl you like."

"That's not necessarily true," he refuted gently.

"Oh, it's _so _true!" Cagalli challenged. "See, take Kira for example. He's head over heels for Lacus. And they agreed that an honest relationship was the best one. But what happens the morning Lacus stops by unexpected? Kira shoves her into the living room, makes me keep her company and slams his bedroom door shut. It was the most bizarre thing. And 'why' you may ask he was doing this? Well apparently he told Lacus that he's super OCD and his room is always clean. Every morning he supposedly makes his bed, folds his clothes and vacuums the floor. But does he actually do that? No! Not at all! Never!"

Athrun laughed at her rant. "So he wanted to appear like the ideal boyfriend. It wasn't that bad of a lie."

Cagalli rolled her eyes. "Come on, he has to be honest! Anyway, what I'm trying to say is guys go to all sort of lengths to impress a girl they like—whether it's true or not."

"Again, I can't say I agree, Cagalli."

"Ok, so if I asked you how your room is, what would you say?" she challenged.

"Oh, it's awful. Clothes everywhere. Food under the bed. Bugs crawling along the walls."

"Ew, Athrun, that's disgusting!" she exclaimed in shock. "No one in their right mind would say that!"

Athrun couldn't hold in his laugh. "I know, but were you expecting me to say I color coordinate my closet or something?"

"Sort of," she admitted.

"But I take it that wouldn't have impressed you."

Cagalli shook her head. "Although it would be better than telling me you have bugs crawling everywhere. I can't stand those creepy crawly creatures," she shivered in disgust.

"Detective Athha is afraid of bugs?" Athrun asked, taking a step closer to her.

"N-no, not afraid! I would just rather not deal with them," she clarified, taking a step back so she could look at him without tilting her head up.

"So tell me Cagalli, how would someone impress you?"

"I don't know!" she defended, taking another step back. "Not give me a bug?" she replied in defeat.

Athrun smiled. "You know what I would say?" he asked, slowly raising his hand and reaching towards her. Cagalli said nothing and merely shook her head. "I would tell her that it didn't matter what she said because I'd accept her the way she is. Being herself was probably what drew me to her in the first place."

Cagalli wasn't even sure she was hearing what he was saying. All she could focus on was Athrun coming even closer and her escalating heart rate. He was inches from her and she felt his hand on her hair. She stared at him questioningly and he just looked back into her eyes. Before she could say or do anything, he pulled away, his hand now filling the space between them.

"There was a bug in your hair," he replied simply, showing her the insect between his fingers.

"W-What?!"

He looked at her innocently. "Well, after your divulged your fear of bugs, I figured I should try to get it out of your hair without actually telling you it was there."

Cagalli was flustered and there was a mischievous glint in his eye. "Cagalli, don't tell me you thought—"

"S-shut up, Athrun!" she snapped, twirling around and facing her back to him. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the nearest rock.

"But I didn't do anything," he replied softly, fighting the smirk that threatened to appear.

"Just stop talking," she demanded.

"Come on, Cagalli, it was a joke," he said with a laugh.

"Don't even look at me," she threatened.

"Ok, ok, you win. I'm sorry," Athrun apologized. She still refused to turn around so he sighed in defeat.

A couple moments passed with Athrun trying to strike up conversation and Cagalli blatantly ignoring him. A loud thud caught both of their attention. They looked towards the decrepit building and noticed rubble and smoke.

"Chief Gladys never told us when the operation was supposed to begin, did she?" Cagalli questioned. Athrun shook his head. "So it could be now. They have the cover of night on their side."

"We can't be sure," Athrun offered.

"But we can't _not_ be sure either. If we miss it all together we'll blow our chance at finding Kira and the Green Diamond," Cagalli argued.

"It will go a lot smoother with backup from Lacus," he continued.

Cagalli was about to give in when an all too familiar sound run through the air.

"W-was that a gunshot?" she asked in panic.

"Cagalli, calm down."

"Kira could be in there! I'm going in. You can wait for Lacus!" Without waiting for a reply, Cagalli darted towards the building.

"Cagalli!" he yelled after her. He shook his head before following after her. "I guess there are a couple things I would try and change about a girl I want to impress," he mumbled to himself.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

Cagalli peered around the corner of a large crate. She counted two masked individuals moving boxes onto a truck. Once their backs were turned, she motioned to Athrun who rushed towards her.

"You really shouldn't be so brash," Athrun chided, lowering the revolver he carried.

"I'm not taking any chances," she replied stubbornly, lowering her own weapon. "So far I haven't seen anyone else around. It's hard to believe that this entire illegal operation is run by two people."

Athrun nodded in agreement. "They could just be loading the truck and then waiting for the others.

"So should we take out these two and interrogate them about the other members?"

Athrun shook his head. "It's probably better to lay low and just watch for a little while first. Then we can make a move."

"You still think we should wait for Lacus?" Cagalli replied, seeing through his excuse.

"That too, but it would be better to become familiar with the area before we launch any sort of attack. We might even find where they're keeping their valuables or hostages"

Cagalli nodded as she scanned the perimeter. She suddenly lost her balance as the ground beneath her shook. Athrun reached out to steady her as he looked towards a large garage door opening.

"That's a bulldozer," she pointed out, staring at the new vehicle. A voice from afar caught both of their attention.

"Break down those crates over there. We're supposed to get rid of the evidence!" the voice called out towards the bulldozer.

"A-Athrun," Cagalli said in warning.

He clenched his jaw. The mystery worker was pointing to the area where they were hiding. If they made a dart for another area they would be seen, but if they stayed in place they'd be crushed. The bulldozer was fast approaching. Cagalli's eyes widened in panic as she turned to Athrun.

"We have to move," she insisted, placing a hand on his arm and tugging, but he didn't budge. "Athrun!"

She glanced back to see the bulldozer a mere hundred feet away. Before she could get out another word of protest, she felt herself pulled into a tight embrace. Athrun tucked her head into his chest and she felt the two of them crouch to the floor. Seconds later, the bulldozer swung and demolished the boxes above them. Cagalli couldn't see a thing, but she knew they hadn't been hit. Still, the impact of the hit knocked both of them over and she was separated from Athrun.

Cagalli scrambled to her feet and searched for her partner. She finally saw him lying a couple feet away. She ran over to him and saw that he was unconscious.

"Athrun!" she called, trying to wake him up. She had to move him before they were discovered. She pulled his arm and draped it over her shoulder as she tried to drag him to cover. "Jeez, you weigh a ton!" she said to no one in particular.

"Hey, you there!" Cagalli felt her heart stop. "What are you doing? Who are you?" The voice was getting louder and she knew the person was fast approaching.

She began weighing her options.

Option 1- Drop Athrun and run for her life. Ok, that wasn't a serious option.

Option 2- Attempt to flee while carrying a seriously overweight human being. Seriously, Athrun was not making this any easier.

Option 3- Turn and face the person.

Either way, things weren't looking good. Against her better judgment, she turned around, staring right at the two people. When they saw that she was carrying a weapon, they immediately jumped back and pulled out a gun of their own.

"You're going to regret sneaking up on us like this!" one of them taunted.

"How can she regret it if she's dead, huh?" the other questioned sardonically.

"You idiots are stupid for trying to do something illegal like this in such a shady place!" Cagalli yelled in annoyance.

The two people seemed at a loss at her outburst.

And then a series of shots in between Cagalli and the assailants drew their attention. The assailants jumped back, taking cover behind the closest crates Cagalli threw her head up, trying to figure out where the shots came from. A figure from above jumped down and was behind her in seconds. Cagalli turned to see a familiar face. A familiar person holding a gun to her.

"L-Lacus?"

She had never seen such a serious look on her companion's face. Before she could question further, Lacus pulled the trigger of the gun. The bullet flew past Cagalli and struck the chain holding one of the garage doors open.

"Cagalli, we have to stop the truck from leaving!" Lacus exclaimed, regaining her normal demeanor.

Cagalli nodded as she dragged Athrun to a safe location and joined Lacus. She fired her weapon, but missed the chain. Lacus shot next and hit the same spot, breaking the chain and allowing one side of the garage to drop and hit the truck.

"We have to get out of here!" one of the assailants cried, rushing towards the truck. Lacus aimed the gun, but hesitated at the last second. The assailant lunged into the driver's seat and started the truck. Cagalli shot and successfully pierced one of the tires. She aimed for the other one, when Lacus lunged at her, pushing her down.

The second assailant had fired and they narrowly dodged the hit. Cagalli silently thanked Lacus before jumping and taking cover behind a crate. The assailant took off towards the truck and jumped onto the open trunk. The truck accelerated as the wheels screeched as the vehicle began moving towards the exit.

"We have to follow them! That garage didn't lead outdoors so they're still in this building!"

"Cagalli, we won't be able to keep up," Lacus admitted as she walked towards the unconscious Athrun.

"I have to try! Lacus, you stay with Athrun," Cagalli called as she ran towards the damaged garage.

"Cagalli!" Lacus called out, but the girl had already vanished through the garage.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

Cagalli scanned the room she entered noting the tire tracks and skid marks leading to a gaping hole in the wall. Either they had lost control of the car thanks to the flat tire or they thought they could get out of the building by ramming through the wall. If they were planning for the latter, they hadn't been successful. There were no stars or trees indicating they were outdoors, instead a pitch black room was ahead. Cagalli tried to see if the truck was visible, but she couldn't make anything out. She drew her gun from its holster and slowly approached the hole in the wall. If they had crashed head on with the wall, there was no doubt the driver would have suffered some debilitation.

Up close she started to make out the outline of a truck and when she had reached the edge of the room she noticed that the back was wide open, revealing an empty trunk. Cagalli bit her lower lip in frustration. It seemed they escaped with whatever it was they were trying to steal. A slight buzz caused her to jump, but she realized that it was just her cell phone. She glanced at the ID and noted that Shinn was calling her. She quickly put the phone away, noting she would call him back later.

A slight clicking noise caught her attention and Cagalli spun around, gun in hand to see a lone individual several feet in front of her. Something was different. This person's outline didn't match the two assailants from earlier.

"I'm with the ORB Police force," Cagalli said, making it obvious that she held a weapon in her hand. "Are you working with the others?"

She received no response from the masked individual, who simply took a step forward.

"Don't come any closer," Cagalli threatened, feeling intimidated, but refusing to budge from her spot. "Tell me who you are and what you were transporting."

The figure again took a step forward, as though daring Cagalli to fire.

"I'm not playing around. Tell me what I need to know," she demanded again. When the person merely took another step forward, Cagalli rested her finger on the trigger of her gun. "I don't want to hurt you," she admitted softly but sternly.

And at once the person took off towards Cagalli. Surprised, she momentarily let her guard down and took a couple steps back to avoid being hit with the person's fist. Attempting to regain her balance, Cagalli didn't notice the individual grab her wrist and twist to the point of dropping the gun. Afraid the person would lunge for it, Cagalli immediately turned her body to relive the stress on her wrist and kicked the gun under one of the crates. The person didn't seem fazed and instead took the chance to slip behind Cagalli, pulling her into a chokehold.

Cagalli's grabbed her attacker's arms and tried to pull them away while also turning her head to the side to facilitate breathing. Before more pressure could be added to her throat, Cagalli dropped her weight and fell to the floor, catching the person off guard and nearly pulling the attacker to the ground as well. As soon as she saw the imbalance in her opponent, Cagalli struck with the heel of her foot, causing her attacker to stagger backwards. She jumped to her feet and nearly grabbed onto the person's sleeve, but the attacker managed to evade. Just as Cagalli took another swipe at grabbing her opponent, the attacker pulled something out of their pocket and threw it onto the floor causing it to crack open and fill the room with a gaseous element. Caught in the moment, it was too late for Cagalli to hold her breath and she felt herself inhaling the fumes.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

"Cagalli! Can you hear me?" Athrun's voice echoed through the empty halls of the decrepit building. He cursed for having been knocked unconscious earlier, only to wake up cleverly hidden behind several crates. In fact, it had taken him a while to figure out how to get out of his exact location. "So much for being a prodigious detective, capable of solving any mystery," he mumbled to himself sarcastically.

As Athrun passed through another room he caught sight of a familiar head.

"Cagalli!" He ran towards the girl, who happened to be sitting in the middle of an open room, staring at the wall. As he approached her, he slowed down and kneeled before her. "Cagalli?"

It took her a moment to break her gaze from the wall. She gave Athrun a blank stare.

"Are you alright? What happened?" he asked, but she continued to stare at him. "Cagalli?" he tried again, resting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Cagalli tensed at the contact before jumping up to a standing position, nearly knocking Athrun backwards.

"I forgot!" she exclaimed as she rushed towards the exit.

"Wait, Cagalli!" Athrun called after as he chased her down the hall. When he found her again, she was once again staring at a wall. "Cagalli, what in the world is going on?"

She turned to face him.

"Hi."

"Hey?" he greeted in confusion.

"I'm Cagalli."

"I know that! What's the matter with you?" She only gave him a curious glance.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Athrun let out a sigh of frustration. "Cagalli, this isn't a game." She tilted her head in confusion. Had the situation been different, he would have admired her cuteness. "What happened after I lost consciousness? Did you chase after them?"

"Them?" she repeated.

Athrun narrowed his eyes. "Cagalli, do you remember why we're here?"

She let out a small laugh. "I'm not really sure where we are," she admitted coyly. "Hey, don't look so worried! I'm safe, you're safe, we're all safe and sound!" she justified, noting his wary expression.

"Cagalli, can you tell me what happened after me and you were separated?"

"We came here together?"

"Yes! It's me Athrun, your partner from the ORB Police department," he tried to explain. Seeing the same blank look, he decided to take a different approach. "Ok, you and I are working on a case to find the Green Diamond and Kira Yamato, your brother. Both went missing a couple days ago. Do you remember?"

Cagalli's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh my god, and the culprits were here! And I chased them!" Athrun nodded, placing both hands on her shoulders as she re-experienced the incident. "And then… and then…" she drifted off.

"And then what, Cagalli?"

"And then you showed up."

"Cagalli, something must have happened in between," he pressed her for an answer.

She shook her head and just stared at him.

"Cagalli?" She narrowed her eyes and moved closer to him. "C-Cagalli?" he repeated, trying to understand why she was looking at him so intently.

She made no sound and stood on her tippy toes, continuing to stare into his eyes. His hands were still on her shoulders, steadying her in case she was unstable.

And then at once she pulled away from him and began laughing. He looked at her skeptically, unsure of what to say.

"I'm looking for the Green Diamond!" she exclaimed. He nodded slowly. "And I found it!" she added. Athrun's eyes widened. "But I didn't really," she giggled. "I was just staring into your eyes," she finished.

Athrun nearly fell over. "Cagalli!"

"They're green! A pretty emerald green!" she continued.

"Cagalli, we need to get out of here," he pulled her by the arm and she gladly tagged along, giggling the entire way out.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

As they made their way back to the car, Cagalli continued rambling and Athrun remained silent, trying to figure out what had happened.

Athrun stopped walking when a blinding headlight approached them. He stood in front of Cagalli protectively as she looked over his shoulder. Two people stepped off the motor cycle.

"Athrun, you're alright!" Lacus said in relief as she approached the two.

"Lacus, when did you get here?"

She gave him a curious glance. "Oh, that's right. You were still unconscious when I left you. Cagalli ran off and I went to go find her after leaving you in safe area, but then Shinn contacted me and I went to find him. We were planning to search for Cagalli together," she explained.

"So you were there when Cagalli lost her memory?"

"Lost her memory?" she repeated in confusion.

Athrun stepped aside, revealing an awestruck Cagalli.

"Aw, Lacus, you're so pretty!" Lacus gave her friend a small smile. "Athrun, you're very good-looking too. You know the two of you would make such a pretty, good-looking couple!"

Lacus' eyes widened and she turned to Athrun in shock. "Athrun, does she know about our—" Athrun shook his head violently. "Well, what has gotten into her?" He could only shrug.

Lacus looked to Cagalli who stared right back.

"So did we find out anything useful from whatever happened today?" Shinn asked as he parked his bike.

"I think we need to figure out what exactly happened tonight," Athrun clarified.

"Hi Shinn!" Cagalli greeted, bouncing over to their third companion.

He looked at her like she was crazy. "What's wrong with you?"

"Oh Shinn," Cagalli laughed. "You're just a jerk."

"What?!"

"Shinn, calm down. I think Cagalli's been… drugged. Or something," Athrun noted.

"She's acting like she's drunk!" Shinn argued back.

"Oh no, alcohol is bad!" Cagalli explained. "Shinn, are you an alcoholic?"

"No!" he yelled.

"Lacus, you have nice hair. Can I have it?"

"Cagalli, I think we need to get you home," Lacus said gently, placing a hand on Cagalli's upper arm.

Cagalli flinched and smacked Lacus' hand away. "Don't touch me! Get away from me!" she snapped. Lacus immediately took a step back, surprised by the hostility.

"Seriously, what's gotten into her?" Shinn questioned.

Athrun shook his head. "I have no idea. But I don't think it's a good idea to just drop her back home."

"Well, she's not staying with me," Shinn scoffed. "If she keeps insulting me I might end up strangling her." Both Athrun and Lacus gave him a disapproving look.

"I think it would be best if she stayed with you, Lacus."

Lacus nodded, but then paused in thought. "I'm not sure she'll want to stay with me. Or if I'll be able to handle her," Lacus admitted.

"Yeah, with the way she snapped a couple seconds ago," Shinn agreed.

"She'll probably be better off with you, Athrun," Lacus suggested. "You two have been working together for a while, so it'll be easier for you to keep her in check."

"I'm not so sure about that…" he started.

"Oh come on, Athrun, man up. She's acting like a 5 year old anyway—it'll be like babysitting," Shinn stated.

"Yes. Shinn and I can remain here for a while and take a look at what's left. You take her back with you and see if she can remember anything about tonight," Lacus recommended.

Athrun nodded. "Let me know if anything urgent comes up, alright?" They nodded in agreement. "Ok, Cagalli, let's go."

"Oh, a sleepover!" she ran towards the car and buckled herself in.

The three remaining officers exchanged looks of worry, confusion and slight amusement before going their separate ways.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

Alright Cagalli, you'll be staying in this room. Is that ok?" Athrun noticed that she had become much quieter since the car ride. She nodded in acceptance. "If you need anything, I'll be downstairs. I've left a pair of my pajamas in the drawer in case you want to wear something more comfortable before you go to sleep." She nodded again.

Athrun turned to close the door, but paused half way. "Cagalli, do you remember anything else from tonight?"

"I have to find her," she mumbled.

Athrun raised an eyebrow. "Find who?"

Cagalli shook her head and then smiled. "Nothing, I'm just sleepy. Good night Athrun!" she assured, pushing him out the door.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

"It looks like they extricated everything from the back of the truck," Lacus noted as she flashed the light throughout the dark room.

"Yeah, and there's just a bunch of empty crates here," Shinn added, scanning the area. "Well this is a little weird," he said, squatting down to look at something on the floor.

"What is it?" Lacus asked, appearing beside him.

"It looks like shattered glass. Do you think it had something in it? We could take it back for evidence."

Lacus pondered a moment. "It's probably just something that broke during the chaos of the pursuit," she mused.

Shinn nodded, before standing back up and scanning the other side of the room.

/ \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\ / \\\\

Athrun pulled the futon from his closet and placed it in his family room. It has been a while since he had slept on this. Arranging the blankets and pillows, he finally lay down and stared at the ceiling above. What exactly had happened to Cagalli during the time he was unconscious? If anyone had hurt her, he would never forgive himself. But she seemed ok physically. And hopefully whatever it was, would wear off by the morning. She didn't seem dangerous to herself or others. Athrun closed his eyes.

Why was he thinking like this anyway? Cagalli wasn't a drug user so she wouldn't face the usual issues they faced. It was a first time mishap. There was nothing to worry about.

Athrun's eyes shot open. How on earth could he leave a person experiencing symptoms of some type of drug alone in a room?! He rushed up the stairs and pushed the bedroom door open. He scanned the room and saw that Cagalli was nowhere in sight. A gentle breeze drew his attention the window sill, where Cagalli was sitting and staring wide-eyed at Athrun.

"W-what are you doing here?" she questioned hesitantly.

"What are you doing!?" he exclaimed, running towards her. "Don't even think about jumping out the window!" he grabbed hold of her arm.

"Athrun, let go! I have to find someone!" Cagalli yelled back, struggling to have him release her.

"Not until you come back inside!" He pulled her one last time and she fell back into the house, crashing into the ground with him as her cushion.

She struggled to sit up and climb off of him, but he held her in place. She was sitting on top of him, but he didn't care. "Are you insane!?"

"No! And I'm not suicidal either!" she yelled back.

"Your actions speak otherwise!" he argued.

"Relax, I just had to take care of some stuff and I knew you wouldn't let me out of the house!"

"Yeah, because you're acting like a crazy person," he retorted, refusing to let go of her wrist.

"You don't understand!"  
"Then explain it to me!" he challenged.

"I can't!"

"Why not?!"  
"Because I don't understand it myself!" she yelled.

Athrun suddenly stopped and released her arms. He propped himself up on his elbows. "Cagalli, I know this is difficult, but just try to calm down and we'll look at this again tomorrow with a cool brain."

Cagalli shook her head. "No! I can't remember what happened and I know we were so close to finding Kira. I ruined everything!" she exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes.

"You didn't ruin anything." She shifted her gaze away from him, but he reached out and turned her face back towards him. "Listen to me, Cagalli. You tried your best and I'm sure you saw something. But right now is not the time to try and figure it out. You need to calm down and we can hit the ground running tomorrow morning. Please do this… for Kira… for me," he added quietly.

Cagalli nodded slowly, sniffling a bit. Athrun smiled and tugged her towards the bed. "Now you need to get some rest, ok?" She nodded once again. He stood up to leave, but she grabbed onto his arm.

"Athrun, can you stay and talk to me for a bit. I don't… I don't want to be alone."

He nodded sympathetically.

"Of course."

"Do you really think I'll be able to remember?" Cagalli asked. "What if I saw Kira and then he were snatched away again? Or if I had the Green Diamond in my grasp. Or if—"

"Cagalli, stop it," Athrun chided gently. "There are a million 'if' possibilities. Whatever did happen will come out and when it does, we'll be prepared to face it. Together."

Cagalli closed her eyes. "Thank you, Athrun." He nodded.

Moments later, Cagalli rested her head against the pillow and her breathing became even. He watched as she fell asleep, relieved that she seemed at peace. He attempted to get up, but realized that her hand was locked onto his wrist. He gave a soft smile as he tried to gently release her hand, but it was firmly attached. Sighing, he readjusted his position and leaned his head against the backdrop of the bed. He'd get back downstairs again soon. For now, he would just rest his eyes. It had been a long day.

* * *

**Meisha:** So, I had a random goal of including 11 SAT words that a friend was having trouble memorizing. I was able to fit in 10 of them… and I tried to make them sound natural. You can be the judge of that.

SAT challenge words: banal, debilitate, derive, discursive, extricate, guile, innovative, intractably, prodigious, refute, surreptitious

Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.  
Any guesses for who could be responsible for all this mayhem? I'd love to hear from you!


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